Paul-Marie-Theodore- Vincent d' Indy

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(b Paris, 27 March 1851; d there, 2 Dec 1931). French composer. He studied with Lavignac from 1865 and with Franck at the Paris Conservatoire from 1872, becoming Franck's staunchest adherent. From here he gained his devotion to what he saw as the standards of German symphonism and in 1894 he was the leading founder of the Schola Cantorum, set up as a Franckist conservatory. In his own music he insisted on logical construction, preferring sonata and variation forms, though his scoring could be brilliant and his contrapuntal skill is often at the service of airiness rather than density. He also contrasted Wagnerism (three Wallenstein overtures, 1873-81) with use of folksongs from the Ardèche ( Symphonie sur un chant montagnard français for piano and orchestra, 1886). Other works include two more symphonies (1903, 1916-18), the symphonic variations Istar (1896), operas ( Le chant de la cloche, 1883, perf. 1912; Fervaal, 1897 ; L′étranger, 1903), motets, songs, chamber and piano music.