Vincent d'Indy - Orchestral Works Vol. 4 (Rumon Gamba)

Information

Composer: Vincent d'Indy

1. Poèmes des rivages, Op. 77: I. Calme et lumière. Agay (Méditerranée)
2. Poèmes des rivages, Op. 77: II. La joie du bleu profond. Miramar de Mallorca (Méditerranée)
3. Poèmes des rivages, Op. 77: III. Horizons verts. Falconara (Adriatique)
4. Poèmes des rivages, Op. 77: IV. Le mystère de l'Océan. La Grande Côte (Golfe de Gascogne)
5. Symphonie italienne (Symphony No. 1) in A minor: I. Introduction et Allegro. Rome
6. Symphonie italienne (Symphony No. 1) in A minor: II. Scherzo. Florence
7. Symphonie italienne (Symphony No. 1) in A minor: III. Andante. Venise
8. Symphonie italienne (Symphony No. 1) in A minor: IV. Final (Saltarelle). Naples

Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Rumon Gamba, conductor

Date: 2011
Label: Chandos
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2010660

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Review

A French evocation of the sea to compare with La mer

Considering the quality of his music and the richly colourful skill of his orchestration, Vincent d’Indy has been surprisingly neglected in the concert hall. Until relatively recently, his discography has been dominated by the Symphonie sur un chant montagnard français which, although musically memorable, has probably enticed collectors more by its evocative title. Now Chandos is

in the course of recording all his orchestral works. Vol 4 in the series offers an early and a late work, both substantial, of similar length and worth having.

The Symphonie italienne was an accomplished student piece written before its composer joined the composition (and organ) class of the Paris Conservatoire under Franck in 1872. Its four movements are entitled “Rome”, “Florence”, “Venice” and “Naples”. Although “Rome” opens lustily with a trombone fanfare, overall the work’s mood and style is Mendelssohnian, especially the Scherzo (“Florence”), while the finale (“Naples”) features a sparkling saltarello. It is altogether most enjoyable.

With the Poème des rivages (1919‑21) we enter an entirely different sound world, richly scored and, in its sensuous feeling, reflecting the composer’s happy marriage to Caroline Janson, a student 36 years his junior. There is now a Franckian sweep to his string climaxes but in these four portraits of the sea, reflecting the atmosphere of Agay, where the couple lived happily together, there is a voluptuous luminosity, especially in the opening portrait of the seashore and the closing, peaceful “Le mystère de l’océan”.

D’Indy’s portrait of the Atlantic, in all its moods, is both calm and tempestuous, and in many ways even more tangibly descriptive than Debussy’s La mer: one wonders why it has not become equally famous. Certainly, the truly excellent Iceland Symphony Orchestra is an ensemble of international standard; Rumon Gamba achieves some highly responsive playing from them, while the richly atmospheric Chandos recording is state-of-the-art. There are exceptional analytical notes by Andrew Thomson.

-- Ivan March, Gramophone

More reviews:
BBC Music Magazine  PERFORMANCE: **** / SOUND: ****
MusicWeb International  RECORD OF THE MONTH
http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/Review/259801,d-indy-poeme-des-ravages-symphonie-italienne-iceland-so/gamba.aspx
http://www.amazon.com/Orch-Works-Italienne-Poeme-Rivages/dp/B004LHOZYK

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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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