Lointain definition
Lointain means “far away” or “in the distance,” and this directive falls into the category of “misterioso” effects that (per Enesco and others, such as Mahler) require minimum or no vibrato in order to register correctly. The tempo marking in the first example above is “Lent et melancolique.” The strings accompany, with gently sustained chords, an English horn solo marked “pp expressif et lointain.” Note that the solo voice is specifically directed to play expressively, while the strings are not. The HIPPLF might argue that Debussy/Caplet don’t specify “no vibrato” here, which is true enough. How do we know, then, that the “lointain” direction must be realized through elimination of natural vibrato?