Stéphane Dénève, the new principal conductor of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony of SWR makes his debut recording with a thoughtful program of Poulenc. The charmingly frivolous Les Biches, a ballet with chorus, is balanced by the hauntingly passionate Stabat Mater, a medieval hymn meditating on the suffering of Mary during the crucifixion.

POULENC: Stabat Mater / Gloria / Litanies

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.


Most of the secular choral works of Francis Poulenc have enjoyed respectable treatment on disc--but not for awhile. This newcomer not only is equal to the best in the catalog, but it contains all of Poulenc's a cappella compositions in the genre, including the infrequently heard Petites voix. Although the masterpiece Figure humaine, written in 1943 during the Nazi occupation of France, is the big work here--and it's performed with spectacularly vivid ensemble clarity and all the poignancy that Poulenc must have intended with his very deliberate use of vocal timbre and expressive means--the generous program reminds us also of the merits of the composer's "lighter" works, particularly the Chansons françaises of 1945/46, Chanson à boire, for male choir, and Petites voix (1936), for treble voices. (Incidentally, there's a fine recording of the latter--the only one I know that actually uses real "petites voix"--performed by the Toronto Children's Chorus, available from Marquis.)

In listening to the entire program you also appreciate this excellent German choir's mastery of style, how these singers perfectly convey the array of moods and bring color and life to the poetic texts, from the dark and brooding "Bois meurtri" in Un soir de neige (can three chords be more evocative than those that open this piece?) to the "click, clack" of the clogs and the "tip and tap" of the weavers' looms in the Chansons françaises.

While these works are quite challenging for any choir, they are so masterfully written that even within the more extended harmonies (9ths and 11ths, for instance) there is easily discernible melodic continuity and even the occasionally odd modulations and the more dissonant moments or passages never seem gratuitous but rather grow naturally from what has come before and flow equally naturally onward. Texture is an important component in this music, and thus carefully judged ensemble balance is critical--and it need not be said that the often very exposed voicing cannot tolerate the slightest lapse in intonation.

The choir meets these tests admirably, and the expert recording sets it all in a complementary acoustic at an ideal listening perspective, allowing us to appreciate the full, finely polished sound, whether of men or women alone or of the entire 50-voice ensemble. (A non-musical feature that English-language listeners will appreciate is MDG's printing of the original French texts along with English translations rather than including only German ones, as some German labels tend to do. However, German translations of the texts can be found at MDG's website.) Essential!

--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

'These performances are a joy to listen to' BBC Record Review

POULENC: Piano Music, Vol. 3

Francis Poulenc was an elegant composer of numerous works for soloists, chamber ensemble, orchestra, and the stage. His style was lighthearted but genuine, simple yet complex. An excellent pianist, Poulenc wrote a vast amount of piano music in long and short forms. This disc, Naxos' first volume of solo piano music featuring French pianist Olivier Cazal, includes a variety of compositions written by Poulenc throughout his lifetime. Meticulously crafted and idiomatic, these works are a pleasure to behold. Poulenc uses standard musical terms for many of his titles (i.e., "nocturne," "suite," "intermezzi," etc.) but they don't apply to his music in the same fashion as Chopin, Bach, or Brahms. In Poulenc's musical sphere, titles are purely suggestive; they provide the structure. For example, his 'Nocturnes,' delicate musings infused with rhythmic twists do not recall Chopin's use of rubato melodic line with repeated accompaniment patterns. This isn't an issue; Poulenc's 'Nocturnes,' with Cazal at the helm, are lyrical and compelling. Also on this disc is 'Promenades,' written for pianist Artur Rubinstein. In ten brief movements, these pieces serve as a surreal, humorous depiction of travel. As with much of Poulenc's music, a chuckle while listening is a familiar response.

Naxos has done it again! Francis Poulenc's delicious Concert Champêtre for harpsichord and orchestra, surely the finest work of its genre, also is one of the most difficult to bring off. The problem is one of balance: it was composed for a huge Pleyel harpsichord, which had the dynamic range of a modern grand piano. Usually it's played on a tiny little Baroque instrument, with the balance problems left to the recording engineers, who either blow it completely or adjust matters electronically, which is equally unconvincing. Here, finally, is a performance that works: the right-sounding instrument, dazzling execution, and excellent sonics. The same holds true for the Organ Concerto, appropriately captured in live performance before a very quiet audience in Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris. In fact, not since the recordings supervised by the composer himself have we had this music rendered with such idiomatic flair.--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

POULENC: Melodies

One thing choirs who’ve sung Francis Poulenc’s choral works know is that he wasn’t concerned about making it easy for singers. Yet, unlike some other composers of the last (and current) century, neither was he creating difficult music just because he could. Instead, there is no similar choral repertoire by any other composer that more satisfyingly rewards the effort it takes–including a commitment of a certain level of vocal/technical skill and artistic savvy–to perform it accurately and stylishly–the rewards to the singer realized in the sheer sensual pleasure and excitement of being “inside” Poulenc’s incredible sound-world; and for the listener, you could say the same, just that the perspective is different.

There is no choir, nor will you find a recording, that does such full justice to these great a cappella works, each chanson, motet, or Mass movement a miniature yet significant and unique masterpiece. It’s difficult to choose specific performance highlights–there are so many moments perfectly demonstrative of some or other virtuosic technical feat or lovely, breathtaking, or otherwise moving expressive musical effect, that the list would amount to citations of nearly every part of every piece. However, for sheer virtuosity, you won’t be disappointed if you begin with the Mass–the Sanctus and Benedictus are perfect examples of how these singers manage ensemble balances even in the widest-spaced textures or thorniest harmonic passages.

Although these characteristics are consistent throughout all the performances, in Tenebrae factae sunt and Tristis est anima mea (from the Quatre motets pour le temps de pénitence) we experience the choir’s extraordinary command of ensemble balance, dynamic control, nuances of phrasing, rhythmic precision, spot-on intonation, ideal resonance in harmonies–everything combines to create the resplendent choral sound that defines these works.

Where there is word-painting–and there are numerous instances–we “get it”; where all-important soft singing is required, the choir delivers while always maintaining intonation and ensemble balance; where the texts are in French (the Sept Chansons), we hear beautifully enunciated, expertly sung French; the bell-like sounds at the end of Par une nuit nouvelle are exquisitely executed, as are the vibrant jazz harmonies of Tous les droits, the scurrying opening lines of Marie, and those treacherous wide-open voicings at the beginning and end of Luire (sung perfectly tuned, producing a hair-raising resonance). Not to take anything away from the rest of the choir, it’s important to give special mention to those sublime sopranos, who have so many passages and individual notes that are high and very exposed, and who sing them with extraordinary confidence, clarity, and accuracy, while always mindful of the lower voices.

Most popular among Poulenc’s choral works are surely the Christmas motets, especially the oft recorded O magnum–and here the Elora singers deliver it with a completely natural, easy flow from phrase to phrase; repeated statements (iacentem) are given emphasis without dynamic exaggeration; overall, there is a gentleness of expression coupled with an exceptional sense of devotion to the music. And devotion to the music is the key to the success of this entire program, whether conveying the joy, the sadness, or more reflective, prayerful moods and moments. Noel Edison and his singers have made perhaps their finest recording to date, a reference for choirs who follow and for listeners who want an important and enduring addition to their choral music library.

The production and sound, overseen by Bonnie Silver and Norbert Kraft in the choir’s home venue–St John’s Church, Elora, Ontario–capitalizes on the church’s excellent choral acoustics (which somehow, in different ways, are excellent no matter whether the church is empty or full of people). Thoughtful, informative notes by Dominic Wells cap this essential release.

-- David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

A rare outing for Poulenc's delightful, tune-filled ballet score

Poulenc's third and final ballet, Les animaux modeles, was begun, he wrote, "in the darkest days of the summer of 1940, and one way or another I wanted to find a reason for hope in the future of my country". The fables of La Fontaine provided him with the plot and it was first performed on August 8, 1942, in occupied Paris (in the penultimate section, "Les deux coqs", Poulenc mischievously quotes the song "Non, non, vous n'aurez pas notre Alsace-Lorraine" for an audience made up mainly of German officials).

Why we don't hear this delicious score more often is a mystery. Too many good tunes, probably. Its eight movements are quintessential Poulenc with the characteristic melange of harmonic and stylistic influences that make their composer's voice so unmistakable. There is also a good deal of self-plagiarising (spot the quotes from the Organ Concerto and the contemporaneous Babar the Elephant). Only one other recording is currently available, apart from the abbreviated version recorded by Georges Prêtre from 1966. The Turin players match the Parisians every step of the way with their incision, sure-footedness and sheer panache.

Stefano Bollini, whose career has been mainly in jazz, makes a good fist of the Concerto champetre (commissioned by the harpsichordist Wanda Landowska, of course, but sanctioned by the composer to be played on the piano as well), rounding off the disc with his own "elaborations" of two of Poulenc's late Improvisations, No 13 from 1958 and No 15 ("Hommage a Edith Piaf"), from 1959, the last of the cycle.

-- Jeremy Nicholas, Gramophone [12/2007]

Poulenc: Histoire De Babar (L') / Leocadia

At the tender age of 15, Francis Poulenc was introduced to a circle of daring French composers that included Eric Satie and Georges Auric. The experience no doubt left a mark on the young composer, whose style is wonderfully eclectic and ever challenging throughout. Poulenc became a member of this circle, a celebrated group of French composers that also included such luminaries as Arthur Honnegger and Darius Milhaud. Nicknamed "Les Six," they changed the face of French music forever.
This recording, the fourth in a series dedicated to the chamber music of Poulenc, offers a healthy cross-section of the composer's work in the genre, with particular attention paid to his vocal works. Poulenc's music is dizzyingly eclectic, and this recording of chamber music includes his celebrated "cantate profane," 'Le Bal masquè.' The delicious whimsy of 'Le Bal masquè' comes to life in a superb performance by baritone Franck Leguérinel and a talented instrumental ensemble. Purely instrumental works are included as well, including the rarely heard 'Sarabande for guitar,' played by Pierre Laniau with a sensitivity that captures the work's dreamy spirit.

Naxos' triumphant march through Poulenc's complete chamber music continues with this latest release containing, among a host of smaller items, a smashing performance of the magnificent Sonata for Two Pianos, one of the composer's greatest large works in any medium. Alexandre Tharaud and Francis Chaplin play beautifully; their performance is a touch less expansive than Fèvier/Tacchino on EMI, but still hypnotically seductive in the slow introduction and third movement, while the faster music has the right rhythmic skittishness and crisp articulation. The other outstanding performance here is the Sonata for horn, trumpet, and trombone. This awkward but charming piece has seldom sounded better balanced and more natural (not to mention in tune), and it's very well recorded in a warm acoustic. The other pieces are trifles, but no less enjoyable for that. Another winner. --David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

Francis Poulenc reportedly felt uncomfortable writing for piano and strings and had harsh things to say about both the violin and cello sonatas, remarks duly parroted by critics and biographers ever since. And yet the fact remains that they are his most ambitious, lengthiest, and emotionally complex chamber works. As so often happens in these circumstances, it's much easier to regurgitate received opinion than it is to actually listen to the music and take it on its own terms.


Alexandre Tharaud, whose superb pianism enlivened Volume I of this ongoing series, plays this music with a freshness, seriousness, and bigness of gesture that reveals its greatness at every point. In the Violin Sonata, he and his partner Graf Mourja really do make the finale a "Presto tragico" rather than a series of cartoon episodes. Similarly, the four-movement Cello Sonata, Poulenc's largest chamber work, is so strongly projected and sensitively balanced that the composer's reservations simply vanish. The Clarinet Sonata, of course, is "classic" Poulenc: Tharaud and Ronald Van Spaendonck have a ball both with its suavity and its caustic wit. When Poulenc writes "très rude" over the solo part, that's exactly what we get. The recording is extremely vivid: close up, in your face, and a bit dry--ideal for this music. Bring on Volume 3! [4/30/2000]
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

This excellent first volume in what promises to be a two-disc collection of Poulenc's complete chamber music offers performances that compare favorably with the best available. All of the musicians are superb, but several deserve special mention. Alexandre Tharaud plays Poulenc's piano parts with great flair, wit, and a true feeling for the music's manic shifts from raucous high spirits to nostalgia and melancholy. Since all of these works feature the piano, the importance of his contribution can't be overestimated. Laurent Lefèvre's reedy, piercing, truly "French" sounding bassoon is a highlight both of the Sextet and the delicious Trio for piano, oboe, and bassoon. It's very difficult to find a bassoon player with sufficient dynamic range to balance the more penetrating tones of the other players, and Lefèvre not only holds his own in the ensemble, but his unfailing musicality and dead accurate intonation triumphantly vindicates the affection that Poulenc shows for his instrument. Finally Olivier Doise's oboe playing offers a sweet, focused tone throughout his range, and this makes the Oboe Sonata a much more moving and less squeaky affair than it so easily becomes in less sympathetic hands. If the string players in Volume II offer the same level of accomplishment, then this series will be the outstanding bargain of Poulenc's centenary year. As it stands, this initial installment, brightly and clearly recorded, is indispensable. Look for further volumes to be released throughout 2000, beginning in early spring. [1/2/2000]--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com