Listening to space in time

A telling case study for delving into the relationship between music and visual arts is to be found in the Italian orchestral music of the early twenti- eth century, where the link with visual dimension is also often highlighted by the titles of the works. Ottorino Respighi’s symphonic poems are an emblematic example of this trend, which is also shared by many other composers of his generation, such as Alfredo Casella and Gian Francesco Malipiero. Focusing on this repertoire, this chapter makes some general remarks on the interaction between music and visual arts by discussing if – and in what way – an explicit reference to a visual dimension can shape the form and structure of a musical work.