Today is Italy Day, I have just declared. My orchestra is performing an Italian salute this evening. If you were my father, you would pronounce it Eye-talian, or you would just settle for Dago. He never had much regard for the Eyetalians because of the war, and refused to allow pizza into his house. But he didn't mind spaghetti with Ragu and a nice loaf of Dago bread. I didn't know that Dago was an unkind word until I was ten or so. My mother likes to tell the story about how my sister and I went to the grocery store to pick up some pasta, sauce, and bread for dinner. I stood in the bread isle, held up a loaf of bread, and hollered to my sister who was yards away, "Hey, is this dago bread?" My sister grabbed me by the collar, ran home, and chided my parents for raising me so improperly.
Anyway, back to Italy Day. We're performing Fountains of Rome, which is a piece by Respighi written to honor four fountains in Rome. It's full of loud, obnoxious horn parts, which is always fun. We're also doing the Anvil Chorus, Figaro from the Barber of Seville, O Mio Bambino Caro (a real tear-jerker), and the Triumphal March from Aida. This last piece will feature a dozen or so high school trumpet players off to the side playing the big opening bit--Daughter #2 is one of them, so it's a bit of a family affair.
So, here's to big, loud, obnoxious horn parts, even if I am sitting in fourth and sandwiched between the chorus and the piano. Here's to the lovely, dramatic fountains of Rome. And here's to a nice piece of buttery, garlicky Dago bread.
Anyway, back to Italy Day. We're performing Fountains of Rome, which is a piece by Respighi written to honor four fountains in Rome. It's full of loud, obnoxious horn parts, which is always fun. We're also doing the Anvil Chorus, Figaro from the Barber of Seville, O Mio Bambino Caro (a real tear-jerker), and the Triumphal March from Aida. This last piece will feature a dozen or so high school trumpet players off to the side playing the big opening bit--Daughter #2 is one of them, so it's a bit of a family affair.
So, here's to big, loud, obnoxious horn parts, even if I am sitting in fourth and sandwiched between the chorus and the piano. Here's to the lovely, dramatic fountains of Rome. And here's to a nice piece of buttery, garlicky Dago bread.
Comments
and loud, obnoxious horn parts! Hoorah!
Oooh, I LOVE the Anvil Chorus … And O Mio Bambino Caro … AND the Triumphal March from Aida!
What a fabulous programme. I really, really wish I was there.
Have a wonderful evening, Robyn (and Daughter no.2).
And Happy Italy Day!
Respighi wrote a second symphonic poem, again inspired by Rome, not by its monuments but by its pines.
There was drum Corps - I think it was Star Of Indiana did this piece very well.
Ragu is also known as "gravy". Eyetalian food is my favorite.
I think to have Ragu on pasta, though, is some sort of mortal sin for Italians. If it isn't homemade, it's not worth putting on. And, I get my obession with bread from my grandfather.
Happy Italy Day!
Rich, my summer band has played Pines of Rome. It seems we play it every year, actually. Talk about loud, obnoxious horn parts. Exhausting.
Gina, sorry for the ethnic slur. You don't know the half of it.
Enjoy your performance this evening!
Dive, picture the big bulbous singer with thick black shiny hair shaped into a duck tail in the back, and you've got it just about right. The tux coat won't meet in the middle, and the eyes twinkle into half-moon shapes--what' the Italian term for Santa Claus?
They are also performing the same Respighi piece, and the Faure Pavane. Ah. Lovely.