Paul Marie Theodore Vincent d'Indy (March 27, 1851 - Dec. 2, 1931) was a composer and teacher born in Paris, France. His first piano lessons were at a young age, given by his grandmother.After studying with his grandmother, he studied piano with a few other teachers, and at 14 began studying harmony with Albert Lavignac. Five years later he enlisted in the National Guard during the Franco-Prussian War, but got back to music after hostilities ceased.

His early compositions gained admiration from George Bizet and Jules Massenet, and d'Indy eventually became a student of Cesar Franck at the Paris Conservatory. In 1873 he visited Germany and met Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms, and couple years later saw Wagner's Ring Cycle, which made a strong impression him, and he became a bit of a Wagnerite.  d'Indy was unhappy with the teaching at the Paris Conservatory, so he started the Schola Cantorum de Paris with Alexandre Guilmant and Charles Bordes. There he had several students, such as Joseph Canteloube, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud, Cole Porter, and Erik Satie.

When it came to composition, d'Indy wrote a little bit of everything. Solo works for piano, orchestral suites, chamber music, and several vocal works, including Lied Maritime for voice and piano.

This work is divided in to two sections, the first being when the sea is calm and tranquil, and the second when it is tumultuous and moving. The translation goes as such:

Far away the sun fades into the ocean
and the sea is calm without movement
and the iridescent tide flattens soundlessly
caressing the dark shore;
Your eyes, your treacherous eyes are closed
and my heart is calm like the sea.

In the distance over the ocean a thunderstorm is risen
and the sea rages and foams
the tide rises magnificently to the sky
and falls howling in to the abyss.
Your eyes, your treacherous eyes so soft
gaze in to the bottom of my soul
and my tortured heart, my blissful heart
is excited and broken like the sea!

The piano part starts the work off with very simple chords, and the voice comes in with a sweet melody, and shortly after the piano part becomes more elaborate.  There's a slight calm in the part when the piano part becomes tumultuous and constantly moving, and the vocal part gains intensity as well, before both parts grow calmer, and the work ends peacefully.

Here are some recordings of this work for you to enjoy!

Philip Jaroussky
Mercedes Díaz Chópite