Vincent d'Indy - Orchestral Works Vol. 1 (Rumon Gamba)

Information

Composer: Vincent d'Indy

1. Jour d'été à la montagne, Op. 61: I. Aurore. Très modéré
2. Jour d'été à la montagne, Op. 61: II. Jour (Après-midi sous les pins). Très modéré
3. Jour d'été à la montagne, Op. 61: III. Soir. Très animé et joyeux
4. La forêt enchantée (Harald), Op. 8: Adagio - Allegro -
5. La forêt enchantée (Harald), Op. 8: Un peu plus lent - Même Mouvement - Plus lent -
6. La forêt enchantée (Harald), Op. 8: Allegro con fuoco - Plus lent - Très lent -
7. Souvenirs, Op. 62: Très lent -
8. Souvenirs, Op. 62: Animé -
9. Souvenirs, Op. 62: Mouvemênt initial, très lent -
10. Souvenirs, Op. 62: Anime

Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Rumon Gamba, conductor
Date: 2008
Label: Chandos
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2010464

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Review

Plenty of warmth from Iceland for D'Indy's rich orchestral scores

Three of d'Indy's most colourful works show him not only as an impressionist in a Debussian mould but also influenced by Wagner and folk music from his own culture. La forêt enchantée (1878) is described as a “légende-symphonique” and is inspired by an epic ballad by Ludwig Uhland. D'Indy creates a mysteriously expectant opening atmosphere, then Knight Harald and his followers ride out vigorously. Feminine “elves” seduce his followers, but Harald loftily resists their enticements and gallops off to reach an enchanted spring, where the elves are waiting for him. This time he yields to their alluring invitation before slipping into a “centuries-lasting” sleep.

By the time the masterly Jour d'été à la montagne was written some 30 years later, d'Indy's style had matured. While the Wagnerian sensuality remains, here the influences from Debussy and even Ravel are very potent: there's a daybreak with an orchestral chorus of birds. The sultry central movement, “Après-midi sous les pins”, includes lively folk dancing before the clouds arrive, with thunder in the distance. Twilight transforms the mood for “Soir” - pagan dances and Gregorian Christian influences vying with each other - and the work closes in nocturnal bliss.

D'Indy wrote Souvenirs almost immediately afterwards (in 1906) in memory of his wife, (represented by a leitmotif, Bien-Aimée), recalling the couple's idyllic summers together and again evoking the countryside. This idée fixe is continually transformed before the music darkens and 12 harp harmonics set the time of Isabelle's death at midnight; the evocation ends in sad serene acceptance.

The rich orchestration in all three works is superbly realised by the excellent Iceland Symphony Orchestra under Rumon Gamba and the state-of-the-art Chandos recording; definitely a key record of d'Indy's orchestral output.

-- Ivan March, Gramophone

More reviews:
ClassicsToday  ARTISTIC QUALITY: 9 / SOUND QUALITY: 9
MusicWeb International  RECORDING OF THE MONTH
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/May08/d%27indy_chan10464.htm
http://www.classical-music.com/review/dindy-1
http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/c/cha10464a.php
http://www.allmusic.com/album/vincent-dindy-orchestral-works-vol-1-mw0001426277
http://www.amazon.com/Orchestral-Works-1-Vincent-Indy/dp/B0015D20GS

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Vincent d'Indy (27 March 1851 – 2 December 1931) was a French composer and teacher. He was a student of César Franck at the Conservatoire de Paris. Inspired by his own studies with Franck and dissatisfied with the standard of teaching at the Conservatoire de Paris, d'Indy, together with Charles Bordes and Alexandre Guilmant, founded the Schola Cantorum de Paris in 1894. His students included Isaac Albéniz, Arthur Honegger, Albéric Magnard, Darius Milhaud, Albert Roussel, Erik Satie and many more. As a composer, d'Indy's best known works are probably his Symphonie sur un chant montagnard français and Istar.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_d'Indy

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Rumon Gamba (born 24 November 1972), is an English conductor. He studied conducting with Colin Metters, George Hurst and Sir Colin Davis at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Gamba was Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra from 2002 to 2010. In October 2008, he was named the next chief conductor and music director of NorrlandsOperan. In March 2011, Gamba was named chief conductor of the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra. Gamba has conducted a number of recordings for the Chandos Records label, particularly in their Film Music series.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumon_Gamba

http://www.rumongamba.com/

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