Most listeners know of Vincent d’Indy for his most famous work, Symphony on a French Mountain Air, which used to be regularly tacked onto recordings of Franck’s D minor symphony. This new Chandos disc, Volume 1 of a projected series, offers a more expanded view of the composer’s works. Of the program’s three pieces, the quasi-impressionistic Jour d’été à la montagne (1905) is the most forward-looking, evoking a sound world similar to Debussy’s (as in Pelleas and Melisande), its three movements describing a day in the Ardeche mountains, replete with high-altitude vistas and busy activity.
In Souvenirs (also 1905) d’Indy pulls back from the advanced harmonies and timbres of the earlier Jour d’été à la montagne and instead retreats into the tonal landscapes of Dukas and Chausson. But d’Indy’s distinct musical personality nevertheless comes through strongly, especially in the sparkling third movement of this poignant, touching work, composed as a memorial to his wife.
Finally, La foret enchantée (1878) sounds less exotic than its title, especially when compared to the above works. But it’s a colorful, finely wrought piece that reveals d’Indy’s early infatuation with Wagner as well as the influence of his teacher, César Franck. Rumon Gamba’s sensitive, nuanced interpretations and the Iceland Symphony’s rich-textured and colorful playing create a dreamy atmosphere ideally suited to this music–an effect enhanced by Chandos’ solid and reverberant recording. All told this is a very fine disc–a little off the beaten path, but all the more enjoyable for that. [6/20/2008]
