Review

Ottorino Respighi
Ancient Airs and Dances (1917): Suite No. 1 arranged for Brass Quintet

Arranged by Mark J. Lafratta

2 b-flat trumpets, horn in F, trombone, tuba

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2022
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 5 brass

Respighi published these pieces in 1917 as a set of transcriptions for piano, freely based on pieces originally written for lute, and compiled by the Renaissance composer and music theorist Vincenzo Galilei (1520 - 1591), father of the famous astronomer, Galileo. Stylistically they come from the period when the new tonal system was in the early stages of its evolution from the old modal system. This can be clearly seen in these pieces, in which the tonality may be ambiguous and is always interesting.

The four movements comprising this set are:

 	
Belletto detto “Il Conte Orlando” (Simone Molinaro, 1599)
 	
Gagliarda (Vincenzo Galilei, 155?) Allegro Moderato.
 	
Villanella (anon. late 16th century) Andante Cantabile.
 	
Passo mezzo e Mascherada (anon. late 16th century) Allegro Vivo.

Molinaro (c.1570 - 1636) studied with his uncle Giovanni Gostena and in 1599 succeeded him as Maestro di Capella at Genoa Cathedral. In 1585 and 1613 he edited the publication of the madrigals of Carlo Gesualdo.

All 4 selections are given with a key signature of B-flat; the first piece has a short middle section in b-flat minor. The publisher’s website indicates these pieces as ‘appropriate for advanced performers’. The major difficulties lie in the upper parts; many have 16th notes. 1st trumpet tops out at a2 (B-flat transposition). The lower parts are of more intermediate difficulty. The trombone part is given in tenor clef; most of its notes lie within the staff. Overall range is F - f1.

Mark J. La Fratta practices law in Richmond Virginia and plays alto and tenor trombones, sackbut, bass trumpet, and euphonium in the Richmond Symphony, as well as in a brass quintet and trombone quartet, and has an extensive list of published arrangements for trombone.