Art is a word that is a world of its own. It encompasses all forms of creative expression; from the physical aspect of dance, to the beautiful aesthetics of a scene comprised of oil on canvas, or simply the written word. These differing acts of art show art’s versatility and timelessness. These methods also offer differing perspectives on central topics; creating a sense of exponentially growing inspiration--all artistic methods using each other to expand their ideas and fearlessly conquer new ones. This innovative mixing of wildly different mediums is part of what makes art so incredible. Those who can harness various art forms to create whole new ideas and experiences, are those who have truly become experts in the universal ideal of creative expression. One example of two mediums melting together to create a whole new experience, is the orchestral piece, “Three Botticelli Pictures” (1927) composed by Ottorino Respighi, a man who took inspiration from works belonging to one of the masters of the Italian Renaissance, Sandro Botticelli.
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| Ottorino Respighi |
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| Sandro Botticelli |
Ottorino Respighi was born July 9, 1879, in Bologna, Italy, only 67.7 miles from Florence, the birthplace of the man whose paintings would one day inspire one of Respighi's most famous works. As a child, Respighi showed great musical promise; his father was a local piano teacher and taught Respighi to play violin, an instrument which he would later go on to play professionally. As a young adult, Respighi attended the Liceo Musicale in Bologna, where he graduated with a diploma in violin performance. Shortly after his time at the Liceo Musicale, Respighi was hired to perform as principal violinist in the orchestra of the Russian Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg. While in Russia, Respighi became close to Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (a member of “The Five”, a group of prestigious Russian composers including Mily Balakirev, Cesar Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, and Alexandar Borodin) and studied composition for five months with the talented composer. It was at this point that Respighi realized his passion for writing music, and returned to Bologna’s Liceo Musicale to pursue a diploma in composition.
Though still an avid performer, Respighi’s compositions began to gain international attention. After moving to Rome to teach composition at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia, he created the first of his Roman orchestral tone poems, “Fountains of Rome”. This work contains four movements depicting Roman fountains, and their mysterious allure at different times of day. The piece brings to mind an almost mystical quality, as Respighi describes a dance of sun and water, mixing together with eloquence and grace as stone gods and goddesses watch nearby. This work brought him recognition in the composition world, and ensured his name would forever be engraved in music history. It also spurred his career, and led to a considerable amount of freedom to create and compose whatever he desired; even under the fascist government of Benito Mussolini. For years to come, Respighi would continue to compose, exploring his passion for Italian music and culture by experimenting with the ideas first presented from early composers such as Vivaldi and Marcello, as well as combining more Romantic phrases with Pre-classical dance melodies. His ability to bring a strong sense of story and emotion to his pieces created an unforgettable element of uniqueness which characterize his compositions. It is this emotion and characterization which encompasses “Three Botticelli Pictures” (1927). The paintings, beautiful in themselves, come alive to the sounds of instruments played hundred of years after the figures were even dreamed about; two art forms coming together to create a unique experience and tell an intricate story.
Travel back a few centuries from the days of Respighi, and you encounter a very different time; the era of the Italian Renaissance, when art, humanism, and antiquity were king, queen, and the entire court. This was the world of artists who are now seen by many to be among the most accomplished in their discipline in all of human history; masters of the canvas including one Sandro Botticelli. Botticelli’s style is what makes his works unique; like many at the time, he primarily focused on the figure itself instead of the background, trying to portray the beauty of the human body. His brushstrokes are careful and meticulous--something which often plays as a contrast to his rich color choices that bring the paintings alive. The ideal of the human figure, exhibited through elongated, elegant bodies, was a specialty for Botticelli who displayed sheer energy in a kind of whimsically exciting yet contrastingly peaceful way. This myriad of feelings that are born when taking in a Botticelli are quite certainly part of their allure, and possibly a factor as to why Respighi was so drawn to them. The three Botticelli pieces which are the stars of Respighi’s “Three Botticelli Pictures” (1927) are three of his most intriguingly beautiful works. The orchestral arrangement features “Primavera” (1482), “The Adoration of the Magi” (1476), and “The Birth of Venus” (1486), all three hosting biblical and mythological images which were a favorite topic of Botticelli’s, as well as many painters during the Italian Renaissance. These paintings are full of mystique and awe, which is evident through Respighi’s musical composition which was created to accompany them. Together, with 3 three centuries standing between them, Botticelli and Respighi created something incredible--a story of inspiration which crossed hundreds of years and turned itself into something new.
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| Above: “Primavera” (1482) Below: "Three Botticelli Pictures" (1927) |
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| Above: “The Adoration of the Magi” (1476) Below: "Three Botticelli Pictures" (1927) |
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| Above: “The Birth of Venus” (1486) Below: "Three Botticelli Pictures" (1927) |
Art is a giant willow of inspiration that never ceases to grow and change, each of its branches a new era. It is, as the late great Freddie Mercury once sang “a miracle”; something that connects generations and helps people find their way through life. What is more, it is relateable. It is a swirling picture of ever-changing ideals and sentiments; a map to help you find your way. It is inspiration; the reason a mortal man could reach back three hundred years, pull ideas from the brush of another, and proceed to tweak and twist such ideas to create something totally new. Something that expresses what we have always known, but presented in a way which helps to broaden the way we look at things.
Sources:
- "Ottorino Respighi." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 Aug. 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
- "Botticelli." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Feb. 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014
- Artble. "Sandro Botticelli." Artble: The Home of Passionate Art Lovers. Artble, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
- Oron, Aryeh. Ottorino Respighi. N.d. Photograph. Bach Cantatas Website. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
- Botticelli, Sandro. Primavera. 1482. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
- Botticelli, Sandro. Adoration of the Magi. 1476. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
- Botticelli, Sandro. Birth of Venus. 1486. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. Uffizi.org. Uffizi.org, 2013. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
