Respighi - The Birds

Musicall Musings:
Respighi was a musicologist as well as a composer, and he used the music of the past as inspiration for some of his compositions. The Birds is a suite of pieces that are based on various 18th century composers. It is an attempt to depict (somewhat stylized) bird songs of the Dove, Hen, Nightingale and Cuckoo. The composer uses the woodwind section of the orchestra for the bird imitations to good effect. Respighi conducted the premiere of the work in Brazil in 1928.