This is the first English language biography of Ottorino Respighi, the
most performed Italian composer of the twentieth century.
Best known for his so-called Roman trilogy, (Fountains of Rome, Pines
of Rome and Roman Festivals), this book documents the story of his
rise to fame and offers a fascinating insight into the active lifestyle
of an internationally renowned musician, who made an important
contribution to the revival of interest in early music.
It also takes a closer look at Respighi's associations with eminent
figures such as Arturo Toscanini, Serge Diaghilev, Gabriele D'Annunzio
and even Albert Einstein which make his story deeply engaging and take
us beyond the realms of music into a world of Russian émigrés, wealthy
patrons and Nobel Prize winners, while also documenting some of the
early effects of fascism on art and culture.