# Respighi's "Ancient Airs and Dances"... on Renaissance Instruments?



## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

As you know, in 1917 Ottorino Respighi composed a set of dances "in the Renaissance style." I've looked high and low, but so far have been unable to find any recordings of the three suites transcribed for Renaissance orchestra: shawms, sackbuts, viola de gambas....

Do you know if anyone has ever tried this??? I think it would sound very natural, given the music.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

If my understanding is correct, Respighi didn't so much compose them as arrange them from old transcriptions.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

It would be like Pulcinella played on eighteenth century instruments.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

There is a disc on hyperion with the originals the Respighi is based on. I have not heard it but the lutenist O'Dette and other HIP musicians are involved.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Yes, I've heard it. I have a considerable collection of Renaissance music.

I just think Respighi's dances cry out for a period instruments treatment.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

MarkW said:


> It would be like Pulcinella played on eighteenth century instruments.


A hundred years too late.


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## FrankinUsa (Aug 3, 2021)

Respighi wrote these in 1917. We should respect what Respighi wrote in 1917 and Liston to his interpretation. Going back a couple of hundred years means subtracting Respighi’s interpretation. I guess it would be interesting but completely different.


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## Nawdry (Dec 27, 2020)

progmatist said:


> If my understanding is correct, Respighi didn't so much compose them as arrange them from old transcriptions.


It's my understanding that Respighi transcribed these suites from lute pieces, orchestrated for a modern orchestra. Renditions I've heard (one conducted by Dorati) are absolutely exquisite. For the record, I prefer the sound of modern instruments playing modern works, even if they're arrangements of ancient tunes. For that matter, I also generally prefer the cleaner, more accurate sound of modern instruments playing music from the baroque and classic era before the development of many modern instruments. Lacking contact with the departed, we'll likely never know what the composers of past eras would have preferred, but I like to imagine they would've mostly been with me on this issue.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Let us please keep them as the are. Such good recordings available .


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Kreisler jr said:


> There is a disc on hyperion with the originals the Respighi is based on. I have not heard it but the lutenist O'Dette and other HIP musicians are involved.


I finally tracked down the 1986 CD you mention here, "Ancient Airs and Dances" by lutenist Paul O'Dette (spelled "Ancient Ayers and Dances" on the CD label). It is, as you said, the original Renaissance lute pieces Respighi used as source material, in _almost_ the same order as the AA&D suite (some he interposed). In addition to lute, one track includes a second bass lute played by Nigel North, one includes violin & bass viol, and seven include tenor singing.

The instruments played are brand new (1975-1984), not period. As a big fan of Julian Bream's baroque lute recordings I am not in the least bit disappointed with this disc.










But I still think the AA&D suite would sound gorgeous on Baroque instruments.


FrankinUSA said:


> I guess it would be interesting but completely different.


Yes it would.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Los Angeles, Neville Marriner




I like your avatar btw


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