Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) was an Italian composer known for his eclectic and colorful works. Six Pieces for Violin and Piano were written between 1901 and 1905. Each movement was written in its own context, and they were only later grouped together for publication. The opening Berceuse was an unpublished work for string ensemble from 1902. While the violin melody soars in both versions, the piano takes over the rippling string accompaniment in the later Six Pieces version. The sweet and lilting Melodia is unique in the collection, in that it was the only one that was written for violin and piano from the outset. Leggenda began as a dark and introspective work for violin and orchestra in 1902, but was rescored for violin and piano to be the third piece in the Six Pieces. Valse Caressante began as a piano solo, and was the first work in Respighi’s Six Pieces for piano solo (1903-1905). It was transposed from the key of E-flat major to D major when it was arranged for violin and piano duet. Serenata is the shortest of the six pieces, and its melody comes from Respighi’s 1905 opera Re Enzo (King Enzo). The closing Aria is based on a composition for strings and organ that Respighi composed while in St. Petersburg while taking composition lessons with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.