Ottorino Respighi was an Italian composer, violinist, and teacher who was one of the leading Italian composers of the early 20th century. His compositions include operas, ballets, orchestral suites, choral songs, and chamber music, including transcriptions of pieces from Italian composers of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, plus works of Bach and Rachmaninoff. Among his best known and most performed works are his three Roman tone poems, which brought him international fame: Fountains of Rome (1916), Pines of Rome (1924), and Roman Festivals (1928). All three demonstrate Respighi's use of rich orchestral colours.
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