Francis Poulenc

Started by Boris_G, July 16, 2007, 12:01:59 PM

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With all due respect, I didn't enjoy the Ozawa recording of these Poulenc choral masterworks. I prefer Dutoit here. Bernstein has a great Gloria as well from earlier in his career.

vandermolen

Organ Concerto remains my favourite.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Spineur

#222
I love all his music, with the Dialogues des Carmelites at the forefront, followed by his religious pieces.  Only the light music in "Le voyage a Paris" can be skipped.  The CD "Miroirs Brulants" melodies on Paul Eluard poem is fantastic.  I wrote a review on the listen to thread.  Then there is the keyboard music: the 2 pianos concerto, the harpsicord concert champetre and of course the organ concerto.  All the aubades are wonderful.   The violin and the cello sonatas are very nice as well.

The Brassens song says it best

"Tout est bon chez lui, il n'y a rien a jeter
Sur l'ile deserte il faut tout emporter"

arpeggio


Mirror Image

#224
Quote from: vandermolen on April 04, 2017, 08:12:28 AM
Organ Concerto remains my favourite.

I like his orchestral and choral music, but I favor his chamber works more than anything else.

snyprrr

Quote from: Mirror Image on April 04, 2017, 07:03:29 PM
I like his orchestral and choral music, but I favor his chamber works more than anything else.

Takemitsu needs a haircut!!


Piano Concerto, Flute Sonata

Monsieur Croche

#226
Quote from: snyprrr on April 05, 2017, 08:40:50 AM
Piano Concerto, Flute Sonata

Aubade ~ for piano and eighteen instruments I still prefer the performance of the keyboard concerti and concertante works on EMI
https://www.amazon.com/Aubade-Francis-Poulenc/dp/B003TW3M42/ref=sr_1_sc_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1491419399&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=Poulenc+aubade+gabriel+taccino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXFq7QZKp4o
Sextuor ~ for piano and wind quintet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMjVsju3HZc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T7rinGXmH8
Oboe Sonata.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY1j_DJDOf8

piano solo:
Promenades -- delightful, dry, wry, and somewhat 'Stravinskyian.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfX37D6uIXE
Nocturnes, Gabriel Tacchino, piano; Tacchino recorded all the piano music, still available on, I believe, EMI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfQoNDuutTs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJBC3M8B39I

Two pianos:
Sonata for 2 pianos, FP 156
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGWYdDzxIos
Elégie (a study in alternating chords, which are constant throughout the piece) (Francois Chaplin, Alexandre Tharaud)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXEiciXRxaw
~ I'm all for personal expression; it just has to express something to me. ~

Monsieur Croche

#227
Quote from: rpsabq on April 03, 2017, 11:47:23 PM
I simply must join in and offer my most favorite recording of the Poulenc Gloria.  Let's not be afraid to give the Americans their due folks, because this is simply superb. 

Poulenc: Gloria; Stabat Mater
Boston Pops Orchestra, Kathleen Battle, Seiji Ozawa & Tanglewood Festival Chorus
Seiji Ozawa, Conductor

If this is still floating around, it would be on EMI, w the bonus that it should be a 'budget'
Gloria; Georges Prêtre, Chœur de Radio France, Orchestre National de France
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wdbj1jkdGo
~ I'm all for personal expression; it just has to express something to me. ~

snyprrr

Flute Sonata (1957)
Elegie (1957)
Clarinet Sonata (1962)
Oboe Sonata (1962)

All three of the Late Sonatas must rank as some of the most refined and sublime expressions of their genre. As I listen to each fresh, I am struck by how many "hooks" I remember enjoying previously. I have the same experience with the Janacek SQs: there is such a wealth of material, one doubts they all came from the same piece, but, they did!

I'm mainly using the Hyperion set with the Nash Ensemble, and at present time have only one alternative for each, and they're somewhat on the minor labels. So far, I have enjoyed Francois Leleux's Oboe Sonata on HarmoniaMundi the most, inorks. terms of sound and performance. These pieces really can bring out some still moments.

I have one Elegie that lasts almost 11mins., and the one by Richard Watkins of the Nash, which is 9mins., really brings out much more of the spirit of the piece. It certainly is not the most serene Elegie one has ever heard, and I have yet to crack this nut fully.

Just in terms of pure musicianship and craft and feeling and oh-just-so perfection, I just have a hard time finding anything quite comparable to these Late Works.



Mirror Image

You can't go wrong with any of Poulenc's sonatas for wind instruments. Seductive, puckish, tender, and extremely lyrical. For me, right up there with Debussy's and Ravel's chamber music.

kyjo

Quote from: Mirror Image on October 24, 2017, 06:15:19 PM
You can't go wrong with any of Poulenc's sonatas for wind instruments. Seductive, puckish, tender, and extremely lyrical. For me, right up there with Debussy's and Ravel's chamber music.

...or his Cello Sonata, which is one of the finest works of its kind IMO. By turns a playful and deeply lyrical work. My cello teacher didn't even know that it existed... :(
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Mirror Image

#231
Quote from: kyjo on October 24, 2017, 06:18:59 PM
...or his Cello Sonata, which is one of the finest works of its kind IMO.

Sure, but snyprrr was talking about the wind sonatas, which are favorites. I'm not too crazy about his Cello Sonata truth be told.

Edit: My mistake --- I was actually referring to his Violin Sonata not the one for cello. :-[ Yes, that Cello Sonata is a masterpiece.

snyprrr

Piano Music

I dunno, I'm just not grabbing onto this... could it be that I like Francaix's PM better, or have I just not listened to all of it in order to get the gems? Or... what?


LIST YOUR FAV POST-DEBUSSY FRENCH PIANO MUSIC, PLEEEEEEEZ

Madiel

#233
Poulenc apparently complained about his own piano music, so you're in good company.

I seem to remember liking the Nocturnes, and the Intermezzi and later Improvisations. But it's been a while. Certainly, some of the earlier piano music is pretty insubstantial in my opinion.

EDIT: The music for 2 pianos is good. Can't believe I didn't say that.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

kyjo

The Sonata for 2 Pianos is a marvelous work. I don't know many other solo piano works of his.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

snyprrr

Quote from: kyjo on November 27, 2017, 12:26:56 PM
The Sonata for 2 Pianos is a marvelous work. I don't know many other solo piano works of his.
realized I had this, and y its opening mysteryes, I am quite impressed by

Just

(this happens all the time :()

Yes, it's a great piece, opening with mystery.


Quote from: ørfeo on November 27, 2017, 12:18:57 PM
Poulenc apparently complained about his own piano music, so you're in good company.

I seem to remember liking the Nocturnes, and the Intermezzi and later Improvisations. But it's been a while. Certainly, some of the earlier piano music is pretty insubstantial in my opinion.

EDIT: The music for 2 pianos is good. Can't believe I didn't say that.

ha!

I've been looking at the Piano Music of Poulenc, Francaix,Milhaud,... Milhaud has some serious works... but... I have to decide who will be my Miniaturist. I've been hemming and hawing over the 3CD set of Francaix,... I knowI've tried Poulenc before and not particularly liked it compared to others. oy, this is exhausting, looking into small things one really may not be into.

so, yea, the 2Piano Muisc seems to be Poulenc's outlet for serious Piano Music...hmm....


kyjo

Am I alone in preferring Poulenc's underrated Piano Concerto to his much more popular Concerto for 2 Pianos? Sure, the PC is a bit derivative of Rachmaninoff in spots (and none the worse for that, IMO), but the first two movements are absolutely gorgeous and have some killer melodies. The cheeky finale seems a bit incongruous with the lyrical first two movements, though. As for the Concerto for 2 Pianos, I find it to be rather annoying in spots, and the constant wittiness grows a bit old after a while.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

snyprrr

Quote from: kyjo on November 28, 2017, 07:31:46 AM
Am I alone in preferring Poulenc's underrated Piano Concerto to his much more popular Concerto for 2 Pianos? Sure, the PC is a bit derivative of Rachmaninoff in spots (and none the worse for that, IMO), but the first two movements are absolutely gorgeous and have some killer melodies. The cheeky finale seems a bit incongruous with the lyrical first two movements, though. As for the Concerto for 2 Pianos, I find it to be rather annoying in spots, and the constant wittiness grows a bit old after a while.

I feel like you on both points


Just enjoyed the Harpsichord Concerto, very Stravinskian in a 'Jeu de Cartes' way. The Organ Cto. is too monumental for at the moment.


I also think I've said "no" to the Piano Music. He's too salon-ish in general here it seems to me. The 2Piano music seems much more serious. I just can't find ONE perfect piano piece by Poulenc, so Satiesque as to destroy me, but, no, I can't fins it...

I DID pop for that Francaix3CD set of Piano Muisc, tho,... lol... Francaix's PM just seems a little more straightforward to me,,,we'll see...

snyprrr

I am tempted to get more of his music than I probably would care for... like the EratoBox,... but I know I wouldn't probably be into most all of the Vocal Music,... and I'm starting to suspect that I'm vexxing over some psychosomatic Stockholm Syndrome, whereby I MUST LIKE all that I hear, which, I don't.

The DutoitBox (5CD)is more manageable, but I'm even thinking this is too much,... I just don'tthink I enjoy 'Les Biches', the 'Animals', and the Aubade,... why do I feel like I MUST have them? I'm not even too keen on 'Pulcinella', so why would I get all sweaty over Paris@1928-32?

If I found ANY Box for $5, well, that would be a different story,... is $35 too much for Poulenc? :'(


btw- Dutoit seems quite lush and lux, whereas Pretre really gets down and dirty (and recorded IN YOUR FACE!): compare the Molto Vivace from the Sinfonietta to hear the real deal.


First World Problem ::) :P  :laugh:



and yes, I do feel stupid writing that,lol

Mirror Image

Quote from: snyprrr on January 06, 2018, 07:59:46 AM
I am tempted to get more of his music than I probably would care for... like the EratoBox,... but I know I wouldn't probably be into most all of the Vocal Music,... and I'm starting to suspect that I'm vexxing over some psychosomatic Stockholm Syndrome, whereby I MUST LIKE all that I hear, which, I don't.

The DutoitBox (5CD)is more manageable, but I'm even thinking this is too much,... I just don'tthink I enjoy 'Les Biches', the 'Animals', and the Aubade,... why do I feel like I MUST have them? I'm not even too keen on 'Pulcinella', so why would I get all sweaty over Paris@1928-32?

If I found ANY Box for $5, well, that would be a different story,... is $35 too much for Poulenc? :'(


btw- Dutoit seems quite lush and lux, whereas Pretre really gets down and dirty (and recorded IN YOUR FACE!): compare the Molto Vivace from the Sinfonietta to hear the real deal.


First World Problem ::) :P  :laugh:



and yes, I do feel stupid writing that,lol

I never understand a lot of your rants as they just don't make any logical sense ;), but I think you will like the vocal/choral music if you gave it a chance. Like for example, this Baudo recording is absolutely first-rate:



I can't recommend this Baudo recording highly enough and this goes for anyone who's interested in branching out from the concerti and chamber works. I do like Dutoit's recordings of Poulenc, but I don't rate him especially high in the choral works, but I do rather enjoy his Gloria. Prêtre is also an excellent Poulenc conductor and has turned in many great performances. The Erato set (EMI initially) is definitely worth checking out, although I don't care for most of the performances of the chamber music in this set and still feel that Tharaud's set on Naxos hasn't been bettered.