Ancient Airs and Dances

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Ancient Airs and Dances is a set of three suites composed by Italian composer Ottorino Respighi.

Suite No. 1 (1917)

	Ancient Airs, Suite No. 1 1. Balletto, “Il Conte Orlando” 2. Gagliarda 3. Villanella 4. Passo mezzo e mascherada
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Suite No. 1 was composed in 1917. It was based on Renaissance lute pieces by Simone Molinaro, Vincenzo Galilei (father of Galileo Galilei), and additional anonymous composers.

1. Balletto, “Il Conte Orlando”
2. Gagliarda
3. Villanella
4. Passo mezzo e mascherada

Suite No. 2 (1923)

Suite No. 2 was composed in 1923. It was based on pieces for lute, archlute, and viol by Fabrizio Caroso, Jean-Baptiste Besard, Bernardo Gianoncelli, and an anonymous composer. It also interpolates an aria attributed to Marin Mersenne.

1. Laura soave
2. Danza rustica
3. Campanae parisienses & Aria
4. Bergamasca

Suite No. 3 (1932)

Suite No. 3 was composed in 1932. It differs from the previous two suites in being arranged for strings only and somewhat melancholy in overall mood. It is based on lute songs by Besard, a piece for baroque guitar by Ludovico Roncalli, and lute pieces by Santino Garsi da Parma and additional anonymous composers.

1. Italiana
2. Arie di corte
3. Siciliana
4. Passacaglia