Antal Dorati - Respighi: Ancient Dances and Airs for Lute (1958) [2004 SACD]

Lustrously recorded in Vienna in 1958, this disc of Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances for Lute remains the benchmark, despite a host of more recent versions captured in modern digital sound. At the time it was released, this disc essentially had the field to itself, an almost unbelievable fact in today’s market. Dorati and his intrepid band of expatriate Hungarian musicians play all of this music with an earthy freshness and vitality that have not dated one bit, and the Mercury Living Presence engineering, despite some ambient noise that comes with the territory, offers an object lesson in natural balances and, well, “presence.” Even the harpsichord, the bane of so many recordings of this repertoire, sounds just lovely where it belongs.

Tracks:

01. Suite Nr. 1 - Balleto detto "Il Conte Orlando" 03:10
02. Suite Nr. 1 - Gagliarda 03:54
03. Suite Nr. 1 - Villanella 05:13
04. Suite Nr. 1 - Passo mezzo e Mascherada 04:14
05. Suite Nr. 2 - "Laura Soave", balletto con gagliarda, saltarello e canario 04:07
06. Suite Nr. 2 - Danza rustica 04:12
07. Suite Nr. 2 - "Campanae Parisienses" - Aria (sopra "Les cloches de Paris") 05:10
08. Suite Nr. 2 - Bergamasca 05:44
09. Suite Nr. 3 - Iitaliana 03:43
10. Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "C'est melheur que de vous aymer" (andante cantabile) 01:57
11. Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "Adieu bergere pour iamais" (allegretto) 00:26
12. Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "Beaux yeux qui me voyes clarement" (vivace) 00:44
13. Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "La voila la nacelle d'amour" (lento con grande espressione) 01:28
14. Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "Quelle divinit?s'imprime dans mon ame" (allegro vivace) 00:15
15. Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "Si c'est pour mon pucellage" (vivacissimo) 00:41
16. Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte (andante cantabile) 02:13
17. Suite Nr. 3 - Siciliana 03:05
18. Suite Nr. 3 - Passacaglia 04:08

Personnel:

Philharmonia Hungarica
Antal Dorati (conductor)