Riccardo Muti leads the CSO in an excerpt from Mvt. IV “The Pines of the Appian Way” of Respighi’s Pines of Rome. Video by Todd Rosenberg | Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Pines of Rome – Movement IV Composer: Ottorino Respighi Conductor: Yu Ji Orchestra: China Philharmonic Orchestra In the triumphant final movement of Pines of Rome, Respighi turns his attention to the pine trees lining the ancient Appian Way. With grand, resplendent orchestration, he pays homage to the glory of imperial Rome. The steady, march-like rhythm—established by timpani, piano, and lower strings—evokes the disciplined footsteps of a mighty army. Soon, the clarinet introduces a bold marchi

Respighi's Pines of Rome, a four-movement symphonic poem depicting pine trees in four locations in Rome at different times of the day, is a dazzling musical portrait of light and land. In the second movement, "The Pines Near a Catacomb," a few pine trees silhouetted against the sky overhang the entrance of a Roman catacomb where the sound rises and falls into the cavern, with the horns and trombones representing priests chanting. Join us for the first two entries in Respighi's “Roman Trilogy” –