The Birds (Respighi)

The Birds (Gli uccelli) is a suite for small orchestra by the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi. Dating from 1927, the work is based on music from 18th-century^[1] and represents an attempt to transcribe birdsong into musical notation. The work is in five movements:

• "Prelude" (based on music of Bernardo Pasquini)
• "La colomba" ("The dove"; based on music of Jacques de Gallot)
• "La gallina" ("The hen"; based on music of Jean-Philippe Rameau)
• "L’usignuolo" ("The nightingale"; based on the folksong 'Engels Nachtegaeltje' transcribed by Jacob van Eyck)
• "Il cucù" ("The cuckoo"; based on music of Pasquini)

Instrumentation

Woodwinds: 2 Flutes (2nd doubling Piccolo), Oboe, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons

Brass: 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets

Keyboard: Celesta

Strings: Harp, 1st and 2nd Violins, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses

References

External links

• San Diego Symphony program notes, November 2006
• Free scores at IMSLP