Ottorino Respighi was an Italian composer best known for his rich and colourful orchestral pieces. Respighi was born in Bologna, Italy, on . While studying at the Liceo Musicale, Bologna (1891–1901), he visited Russia, and returned in 1902–03 to take lessons from Rimsky-Korsakov, a master of orchestration who also taught Stravinsky.
Back in Italy, Respighi worked as a pianist and string player, and made an early contribution to authentic performance with his interest in early Italian lute...