Disc 1 in Francesco La Vecchia’s second volume of Respighi’s complete orchestral output for Brilliant Classics houses three works from the 1920s. The gorgeous Trittico botticelliano (1927) stands out, an exquisitely wrought jewel, luminously scored and full of the most bewitchingly lovely inspiration. By its side, both Vetrate di chiesa (1926) and Impressioni brasiliane (1928) leave a less enduring impression, though both possess flashes of magic alongside pages of more dubious quality (the former occasionally inclines to noisy bombast). Disc 2 contains three concertante offerings, the most rewarding of which is Poema autunnale (1925), a warmly nostalgic and fragrantly beautiful 14-minute essay for violin and orchestra which towards the end acquires an unexpectedly Delian flavour. It’s an altogether more characteristic statement than the early Concerto all’antica from 1908, a year when Respighi was much preoccupied with Baroque arrangements – hence the unabashed debt to Vivaldi in the sumptuous cantilena of the slow movement. Both pieces, however, prove rather more enticing than the Concerto a cinque, an updated, Corellian concerto grosso from 1933 dedicated to the American patron of chamber music, Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, whose outer movements especially bring more than a hint of running on empty.

These performances are tolerably tidy, if disappointingly uncharismatic and with an element of literalness about them that hinders the last ounce of listening involvement. That said, the programme is an adventurous one and Brilliant Classics’ super-budget price-tag undeniably tempting. Best try before you buy.