Respighi is best known for his Rome suites: ‘Pines of Rome’, ‘Fountains of Rome’, ‘Roman Festivals’, etc, but there are also some other works that are just as enjoyable. The ‘Ancient Airs and Dances Suites for Lute’ are excellent, and the old Antal Dorati recording for Mercury is about the best. All of the works are based on older compositions from various composers (see below).

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from Wikipedia:

Suite No. 1 (1917)

1. Suite No. 2 (1923)[edit]Balletto, “Il Conte Orlando”
2. Gagliarda
3. Villanella
4. Passo mezzo e mascherada

Suite No. 2 was composed in 1923. It was based on pieces for lute, archlute, and viol by Fabritio Caroso, Jean-Baptiste Besard, Bernardo Gianoncelli, and an anonymous composer. It also includes an aria attributed to Marin Mersenne.

1. Laura soave
2. Danza rustica
3. Campanae parisienses & Aria
4. Bergamasca

Suite No. 3 (1932)

Suite No. 3 was composed in 1932. It differs from the previous two suites in that it is arranged for strings only and somewhat melancholy in overall mood. It is based on lute songs by Besard, a piece for baroque guitar by Ludovico Roncalli, and lute pieces by Santino Garsi da Parma and additional anonymous composers.

1. Italiana (Anonymous: Italiana (Fine sec.XVI) – Andantino)
2. Arie di corte (Jean-Baptiste Besard: Arie di corte (Sec.XVI) – Andante cantabile – Allegretto – Vivace – Slow with great expression – Allegro vivace – Vivacissimo – Andante cantabile)
3. Siciliana (Anonymous: Siciliana (Fine sec.XVI) – Andantino)
4. Passacaglia (Lodovico Roncalli: Passacaglia (1692) – Maestoso – Vivace)