When I first heard this piece performed at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Phil Huscher described in the program notes how Respighi chose 4 beautiful fountains in Rome and wrote a piece for each one at a different time of day. I left the concert thinking, that's nice; there are a few nice fountains in Rome. So when I arrived in Rome, I was in for a surprise. No, there are more than a few...there are HUNDREDS!
Trevi Fountain is one of the most popular ones. I witnessed an engagement there. I saw the couple walk in. As I was digging through my pockets to find a coin to toss into the fountain, I heard hooting and clapping. I looked up, and there was that couple embracing. The girl was crying. It was sweet. Then maybe 5 minutes later, some teenage boys were swinging one of their friends back and forth as if to throw him into the fountain. They didn't . They repeated the same process with another friend... and didn't throw him in. That's when the crowd began to boo.
At every major intersection in Rome, there is a fountain. Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Novona, Piazza Venezia, Piazzo Pio XII. Then there are fountains on random corners. Their public water fountains are elaborately decorated. I saw people drinking from them and refilling their water bottles.
Respighi writing about the fountains in Rome would be like composing music about the bridges in New York or the hills in San Francisco...what would it be for Chicago? Alleys in Chicago? Pizza in Chicago?
Enjoy my collection of photos of the fountains in Rome to Respighi's musical interpretation of Trevi at Midday.
Post note, this is Edo de Waart conducting the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. I bought the CD in Milan, but you can download the album here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Respighi-Pines-Fountains-Rome-Musici/dp/B00005B4MU
Here are a couple of reviews of the album: http://www.amazon.com/Respighi-Pines-Fontane-Fountains-Uccelli/dp/B00000E2PJ
