The Paducah Symphony Orchestra's March performance is Saturday the 16th at the Carson Center in downtown Paducah. Included are two works by Italian composer Ottorino Respighi, The Fountains of Rome and The Pines of Rome.
In "The Fountains," each movement describes a named fountain in Rome at different times of the day.
Conductor Raffaele Ponti said, "If one of the images was in the morning in Italy, after lunch, the Italians are just strolling, going to take their little siesta for the afternoon, and it's calmer. By the time night comes, and the people are walking, and children are kicking a soccer ball around with strange kids, just playing. In these areas, he was trying to create the mood and the moment of the day and the time he was there. Not just describing a fountain."
The Pines of Rome depicts pine trees in different areas of Rome at different times of day. Ponti said, "The Pines of the Appian Way. You can almost hear the Roman centurions marching back into Rome from victory."
Also on the program is the Tragic Overture by Brahms and the Concerto for Alto Saxophone by American composer Paul Creston where the maestro noted, "This is an incredible concerto for alto saxophone and symphony orchestra. The saxophone is not a mainstay color in an orchestral setting." The soloist for the piece is Timothy McAllister. Ponti said, "Timothy McAllister is, in my mind, one of the best, the finest sax players in the business."
The concert is at 7:30 pm at the Carson Center and will be broadcast on WKMS beginning March 23rd.
