Thread: Vincent d'Indy Orchestral works

Never found much to interest me in d'Indy. Listening to his Clarinet Trio Op. 20 now. It sounds nice, but...

Sort of like a French Brahms, lots of talent but no real inspiration! (Or transpiration for that), sort of one foot in "light music" and the other without a firm grip! (He was a confirmed Wagnerite I believe) Had he been German, I think that his legacy would have been seen as slightly Kapellmeisterisch...

/ptr

Not a top composer for me, no real highlights in his repertoire, but still worthwhile a spin occasionally. I have the same set.

I rather enjoy d'Indy, but much more in his early than in his later pieces. For me, highlights include the symphonic poems Istar, Wallenstein and particularly Le forêt enchanté. The oddly Saint-Saënsian First Symphony ("Italienne") is a very enjoyable work, and the Symphonie cénévole (sur un chant montagnard français) had earned a well-deserved spot as his best-known work. I haven't really studied d'Indy so most of this is conjecture, but my feeling is that in later years he got both more ambitious and less inspired. Post-1900 works like the last two symphonies, the Diptyque mediterranéen and Jour d'été à la montagne lack the melodic appeal, instrumental transparency and the lightness of touch that makes the earlier works so enjoyable.

Er, ho-hum isn't nearly good enough for D'Indy!

He is one of the top French post-romantic composers, including Chausson, Ropartz, Magnard and others. A tremendous harmonist and orchestrator. I particularly like La forèt enchantée, Symphony No. 2 in Bb Major, Istar, Diptyque méditerranéen, and most of all Poème des rivages.

Originally Posted by iljajj

I rather enjoy d'Indy, but much more in his early than in his later pieces. For me, highlights include the symphonic poems Istar, Wallenstein and particularly Le forêt enchanté. The oddly Saint-Saënsian First Symphony ("Italienne") is a very enjoyable work, and the Symphonie cénévole (sur un chant montagnard français) had earned a well-deserved spot as his best-known work. I haven't really studied d'Indy so most of this is conjecture, but my feeling is that in later years he got both more ambitious and less inspired. Post-1900 works like the last two symphonies, the Diptyque mediterranéen and Jour d'été à la montagne lack the melodic appeal, instrumental transparency and the lightness of touch that makes the earlier works so enjoyable.

I'm not intimately familiar with d'Indy's music, but I'd tend to agree with this based on what I've heard. The Symphony on a French Mountain Air is by far my favorite work of his, a gorgeously melodic work. (I also enjoy his Clarinet Trio, especially itslovely slow movement.) I listened to his Second Symphony recently and found it overall rather academic and unengaging.

Originally Posted by kyjo

I listened to his Second Symphony recently and found it overall rather academic and unengaging.

I listened to it again yesterday and am still very fond of D'Indy's Second Symphony, also did some reading. I think the fugato for strings near the opening of the last movement is superb. The buildup of energy toward the end, and the great chorale, also. From my reading, one point of importance is that D'Indy's use of the cyclic principle is different than his teacher Franck's. While Franck would bring back themes from earlier movements in the finale, D'Indy would use motives from a theme, then vary them and use them in different ways throughout the work (which may contribute to a sense of academicism). At the same time his technically advanced style of French Wagner-influenced Romanticism shows great variety and originality in the harmonization, texture, and orchestration of passages (that I find appealing). D'Indy's Christianity is woven into his compositions, not as mysticism á la Tournemire or Messiaen, but according to his rather strict ideas related to Scholastic philosophy (Aquinas). He explains this in his Cours de composition complète. For a simple example, there is the battle of good and evil in a progression from darkness to light (orchestral works always beginning in the lowest register and ending with a blazing fortissimo in a high-register). I think D'Indy's tendency to rigidity became toxic in his anti-semitic attitudes and writings. That is one reason why his music does not get played or recorded by top orchestras.