# D'Indy - Symphonie sur un chant montagnard français



## Joachim Raff (Jan 31, 2020)

*The Symphony on a French Mountain Air* (French: Symphonie sur un chant montagnard français), Op. 25, written in 1886 by Vincent d'Indy, is virtually the only work by the composer that still receives regular performances today.

As indicated by the title, d'Indy took the principal theme from a folk song he heard at Périer overlooking the Cévennes mountains (hence the work's alternative name, Symphonie cévenole). Originally conceived as a fantaisie for piano and orchestra, the symphony is unusual in that it is scored for a prominent (but never dominant) piano part together with orchestra, and has acquired the label sinfonia concertante from some critics.

The symphony begins with an evocative melody played first by a cor anglais. The main themes of subsequent movements are based on this melody, and as the symphony progresses each subsequent variation becomes more and more like the original version.
The work was dedicated to Marie-Léontine Bordes-Pène, who was the soloist at the premiere in Paris on March 20, 1887.

*Iam currently exploring his works. I would like folk's opinion on the work. Is it D'Indy's finest work? How do rate D'Indy as a whole? Any recorded recommendations. Good, Bad or Ugly. *


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I have the Dutoit/Montreal disk on the London label, along with the Franck D-minor. Thibaudet provides the piano. I am quite happy with it, as I am with the piece itself, which never fails to fill me with its joy. Not otherwise a fan of d'Indy; the Symphonie seems to me to be a miraculous example of a Fairy Godmother waving a Magic Wand over the head of an otherwise nondescript composer.


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## Joachim Raff (Jan 31, 2020)

Strange Magic said:


> I have the Dutoit/Montreal disk on the London label, along with the Franck D-minor. Thibaudet provides the piano. I am quite happy with it, as I am with the piece itself, which never fails to fill me with its joy. Not otherwise a fan of d'Indy; the Symphonie seems to me to be a miraculous example of a Fairy Godmother waving a Magic Wand over the head of an otherwise nondescript composer.


Listening to Dutoit/Montreal, i love the infectious finale movement with some blazing brass playing. Thibaudet provide a super performance.


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## Marsilius (Jun 13, 2015)

The older recording by Nicole Henriot-Schweitzer, accompanied by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Charles Munch, will be known to many - if only because it was the coupling for the best-ever recorded version of the Cesar Franck symphony (Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Monteux) on a well-known RCA CD. Ms Henriot-Schweitzer's performance of the D'Indy was pretty good too.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Marsilius said:


> The older recording by Nicole Henriot-Schweitzer, accompanied by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Charles Munch, will be known to many - if only because it was the coupling for the best-ever recorded version of the Cesar Franck symphony (Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Monteux) on a well-known RCA CD. Ms Henriot-Schweitzer's performance of the D'Indy was pretty good too.


IIRC, Ms Henriot-Schweitzer was Charles Munch's niece(??)


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I cherish my vinyl disc copy of the D'Indy work featuring Casadesus and Ormandy. An oldie but goodie.


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