Poulenc

Question 1

Who was Poulenc?

Answer 1

Poulenc was a French composer and pianist who made significant contributions to French music in the decades after WW1. He was a member of Les Six which was a group of 6 French composers in the early 20th century who opposed heavy German romanticism. His compositions include solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets and orchestral concert music.

Question 2

Who were the members of Les Six?

Answer 2

Milhaud, Poulenc, Honegger, Auric, Durey and Tailleferre.

Question 3

Describe Poulenc compositional style?

Answer 3

• Melodic simplicity
• Harmonics with dissonances
• sense of irony and wit
• use of diatonic elements
• drew inspiration from popular music, jazz and dance forms which gave his music a distinctively modern and vibrant quality.

Question 4

Talk about his clarinet sonata

Answer 4

• Neoclassical work in 3 movements
• Dedicated to the memory of Arthur Honegger who was a member of Les Six and commissioned by clarinetist Benny Goodman. It was one of his last pieces. Before it was published, Poulenc died of a sudden heart attack so an editor was employed to identify some notes and provide missing dynamics and articulations.

Question 5

What does Romanza mean?

Answer 5

A romanza is a short instrumental composition of lyrical character

Question 6

Form of Romanza?

Answer 6

Ternary with intro and codetta

Question 7

Form of Allegro con Fuoco?

Answer 7

Ternary form with codetta

Question 8

Characteristics of 20th Century music?

Answer 8

• more complex and interesting rhythms
• erratic melodies with wide leaps and unexpected notes

Question 9

What is neoclassical music?

Answer 9

Combines classical music with modern elements.

Question 10

Dates of 20th century period?

Answer 10

1900-1999