Myth, beauty and music meet at Petit Jean
The beauty of nature inspires many facets of art, including music and folklore. Some of Arkansas’ most famous legends center on Petit Jean Mountain.
Legend says that a young Frenchman named Chavet crossed the Atlantic to the New World in the 1700s. His young fiancée, Adrienne Dumont, wanted to marry him immediately so she could travel with him. Aware of the hardships involved in the journey, Chavet denied her request.
Not to be deterred, Dumont disguised herself as a young man and joined the crew aboard Chavet’s ship. Due to her small stature, the crew referred to her as Little John, or Petite Jean in French. Eventually, the vessel reached the foot of the mountain on the Arkansas River where they spent the summer.
When the crew was ready to board the ship in the fall before returning to France, Petite Jean became ill and her true identity was discovered. She begged Chavet’s forgiveness for her deception, and requested that if she died, she be buried atop the mountain where they had spent their last summer together. Her wish was granted; hence we have Petit Jean Mountain.
In 2008-2009, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra went through a very challenging financial journey. While they didn’t have to cross the Atlantic, the Board of Directors navigated rough waters very well. As a thank-you for their work, the symphony players commissioned Chris Theofanidis to compose a piece that would celebrate the entire organization, along with the state of Arkansas.
Theofanidis visited Petit Jean State Park and found inspiration for his orchestral composition by hearing the folklore and walking through the beautiful mountain paths, viewing the waterfall and experiencing the sense of nostalgia on the mountain. As a member of the symphony, Leigh Wing played violin during the recording of “The Wind and Petit Jean.” You can find that recording on all the major streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.
You can also hear a clip of the piece set to video of the mountain in Episode 48 of Arkansas’ Great Outdoors (tinyurl.com/ArkansasGreatOutdoorsASO). Leigh interviews Maestro Geoffrey Robson, who states, “I cannot wait for everyone to hear this incredible piece of music that was inspired, not just by the legend of Petit Jean, but by that actual place — one of our most beautiful state parks.”
Check it out, and perhaps you will hear the wind rustling in the trees of Petit Jean Mountain.
Carlton and Leigh Wing host the “Arkansas’ Great Outdoors” weekly television series. Visit facebook.com/arkansasgreatoutdoors.