I think I`ve got a new favourite! Heard it on the radio today, and just now found a free mp3 of the work.
Respighi - Birth of Venus, from Three Botticelli Pictures. It`s like a miniature tone poem, about 5 mins. long, and consists of one long build-up, presumably portraying Venus rising out of the ocean on her half-shell. Another work that I like that involves the ocean/water. (I bet one reason why this work is not played too often is that close to the end, the music comes to a complete halt, only to calmly resume for the closing of the piece. I can just picture the audience starting to clap because they think the work is finished... )
Here are the details about the recording; the mp3 of Birth of Venus is Painting 3-
Three Botticelli Pictures
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Neville Marrinev, conductor
Out of Print
And here is where I found it-
http://www.music.iastate.edu/courses/471/birds.htm
Other names for this piece are-
Trittico Botticelliano
Botticelli Triptych
I`ve listened to it 3 times now, going for a fourth now...