The Fountain of Acqua Paola, the third movement of Charles Griffes’s Roman Sketches, Op. 7, captures the grandeur and shimmering beauty of Rome’s historic fountain. Inspired by the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola on the Janiculum Hill, the piece creates a vivid impression of cascading water, sunlight, and the expansive Roman landscape.

I especially enjoy the contrast between the powerful, resonant chords and the sparkling, flowing textures. The music gradually builds in intensity, much like water gathering and surging from the fountain, before receding into a more distant and peaceful atmosphere.

Recorded in June 2025.