A master of wit and elegance, equal parts boulevardier and enfant terrible, Francis Poulenc’s melodic gifts and prolific output made him one of the 20th century’s most enduring composers. Even more impressive, Poulenc was the only self-taught member of Les Six – a group of young French composers considered to be the brightest stars of then contemporary French music. Bill displays the range of Poulenc’s pieces this week – from witty parody to deep tragedy, and everything in between.
Poulenc, Francis
Playlist
Episode 1
Poulenc: Flute Sonata, FP 164 (excerpt)
Wolfgang Schulz, flute; James Levine, piano
DG 427639
:48
Poulenc: Rapsodie Nègre
1. Prélude
2. Ronde
3. Honoloulou
4. Pastorale
5. Final
Anne Sofie Von Otter, mezzo soprano; Bengt Forsberg, piano
DG 447752
10:23
Poulenc: Le bestiaire
Le dromadaire
La chèvre du Thibet
Le dauphin
Gilles Cachemaille, bass baritone; Pascal Rogé, piano
Decca 436991
2:34
Poulenc: Sonata For Clarinet & Bassoon
Richard Hosford, clarinet; Ursula Leveaux, bassoon
Hyp 67255/6
7:23
Poulenc: Les Biches Suite
1. Rondeau
2. Adagietto
3. Rag-Mazurka
4. Andantino
5. Finale: Presto
Orchestre National De France/Charles Dutoit
Pascal Rogé, pianno
Lon 452937
19:54
Poulenc: 3 Mouvements Perpétuels
Francis Poulenc, piano
EMI 55036
4:34
Poulenc (arr. Heifetz): Mouvements perpetuels (excerpt)
Jascha Heifetz, violin; Brooks Smith, piano
RCA 61776
1:01
Episode 2
Poulenc: Trio For Piano, Oboe & Bassoon
1. Lent, Presto
Nash Ensemble
Hyperion 67255
00:58, 1:40
Poulenc: Aubade, FP 51
Toccata
Les Compagnes De Diane
Diane Et Compagnes
Entrée De Diane
Sortie De Diane
Toilette De Diane
Introduction À La Variation De Diane;
Variation De Diane
Désespoir De Diane
Adieux Et Départ De Diane
Orchestre National De France/Charles Dutoit
Pascal Rogé, piano
London 452937
20:22
Poulenc: Concert Champetre, II. Sicilienne
London Symphony Orchestra/Andre Previn; Simon Preston, harpsichord
EMI 69752
5:49
Poulenc: Concerto In D Minor For Two Pianos, FP 61
1. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
2. Larghetto
3. Finale: Allegro Molto
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Seiji Ozawa; Katia & Marielle
Labèque, pianos
Phil 426284
20:10
Episode 3
Poulenc: Sextet For Piano & Winds, FP 100
Allegro Vivace
Divertissement
Finale
Ensemble Wien-Berlin; James Levine, piano
DG 427639
:42, 18:06
Poulenc: Le travail du peintre
Georges Braque
Marc Chagall
Jacques Villon
Pierre Bernac, baritone; Francis Poulenc, piano
Adès 202942
4:44
Poulenc: Concerto in G min for Organ, Strings and Timpani
Andante, Allegro Giocoso
Andante moderato
Tempo Allegro, molto agitato
Tres calme, lent
Tempo de l’Allegro initial
Tempo introduction, Largo
LSO/Andre Previn; Simon Preston, organ
EMI 69752
23:52
Poulenc: La Baigneuse De Trouville, FP 23
Orchestre National De France/Charles Dutoit
Lon 452937
1:45
Episode 4
Poulenc: Trio For Piano, Oboe & Bassoon (excerpt)
Nash Ensemble
Hyperion 67255
00:27
Poulenc: L’Embarquement Pour Cythère, FP 150
Katia & Marielle Labèque, pianos
Phil 426 284
2:03
Francis Poulenc: Sonata For Piano & Cello
II. Cavatine
Joel Krosnick, violoncello; Gilbert Kalish, piano
Arabesque 6682
7:01
Poulenc: Stabat Mater, FP 148
Stabat Mater dolorosa
Cujus animam gementem
O quam tristis
Quae moerebat
Quis est homo
Vidit suu
Eja Mater
Fac ut ardeat
Sancta Mater
Fac ut portem
Inflammatus et accensus
Quando corpus
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra & BBC Chorus/Yan Pascal
Tortelier; Janice Watson, soprano
Chandos 9341
32:28
Poulenc: Babar The Elephant (excerpt)
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/JoAnn Falletta; Meryl
Streep, narrator
Koch 7368
9:09
Episode 5
Poulenc: Dialogue Des Carmélites, Act III finale
Paris National Opera Orchestra & Chorus/Pierre Dervaux;
Liliane Berton, soprano; Denise Duval, soprano
EMI 62768
9:40
Poulenc: Flute Sonata, FP 164
Allegretto Malincolico
Cantilena: Assez Lent
Presto Giocoso
Wolfgang Schulz, flute; James Levine, piano
DG 427639
12:16
Poulenc: Gloria
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Laudamus Te
Domine Deus, Rex Caelestis
Domine Fili Unigenite
Agnus Dei
Qui Sedes Ad Dexteram Patris
Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Bernard Haitink;
Jessica Rivera, soprano
CSO Resound 901906
23:43
