{"title":"Francis Poulenc","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"poulenc-organ-concerto-concert-champetre-etc-lefebvre-234582","title":"Poulenc: Organ Concerto, Concert Champêtre, Etc \/ Lefebvre","description":"\u003cimg src=\"\/graphics\/p10s10.gif\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNaxos 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","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44625046864106,"sku":"636943424124","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/257612.jpg?v=1778349607"},{"product_id":"poulenc-stabat-mater-gloria-litanies-borst-piquemal-234417","title":"Poulenc: Stabat Mater, Gloria, Litanies \/ Borst, Piquemal","description":"POULENC: Stabat Mater \/ Gloria \/ Litanies","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44625046012138,"sku":"730099417624","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/127213.jpg?v=1778341699"},{"product_id":"poulenc-gloria-stabat-mater-095115934128","title":"POULENC: Gloria \/ Stabat Mater","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Chandos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44624154951914,"sku":"095115934128","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/107438.jpg?v=1778349701"},{"product_id":"poulenc-les-soirees-de-nazelles-3-pieces-promenades","title":"Poulenc: Les Soirees De Nazelles - 3 Pieces - Promenades","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Proprius","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44722550702314,"sku":"7391959190809","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1910138.jpg?v=1778287008"},{"product_id":"requiem-22","title":"FAURE: REQUIEM","description":"Written between 1887 and 1890, Gabriel Faur�'s Requiem is among the best-loved pieces in the choral repertory. Traditionally, Requiems are serious, prayerful laments for the dead. Faur�'s was altogether different. In place of the usual somber mood, his is noted for it's calm, serene and peaceful outlook. The composer revised and expanded the work several times, but it is the original version that is performed here using period instruments and performance practices. This sublimne recording, featuring Ensemble Aedes and Les Si�cles led by Mathieu Romano, also includes Poulenc's Figure Humaine and Debussy's Trois Chansons","brand":"APARTE","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44945482744042,"sku":"5051083143011","price":20.17,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3643894-2614271_829cca23-b783-4963-bee0-8910d23d3500.jpg?v=1778378451"},{"product_id":"four-hands-alexandre-tharaud-friends","title":"Four Hands - Alexandre Tharaud \u0026 Friends","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis was something I'd had in mind for a long time...\" says pianist Alexandre Tharaud, \"to put together an album for the sheer pleasure of it, in collaboration with dear friends and paying tribute to the wonders of the piano duet repertoire.\" The aptly named 4 Hands offers 18 tracks, each just a few minutes in length, each featuring Tharaud sharing a piano keyboard with a different partner. The repertoire ranges wide - from Bach to Glass by way of such composers as Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Fauré, Satie, Debussy, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, and Piazzolla. 15 of Tharaud's fellow performers are celebrated pianists - among them the late Nicholas Angelich, Mariam Batsashvili, Bertrand Chamayou, David Fray, Víkingur Ólafsson, and Beatrice Rana. The other three, all stars in their musical fields, are shown in a new, pianistic light: cellist Gautier Capuçon, countertenor Philippe Jaroussky and singer-songwriter Juliette. \"The piano duet is one of life's miracles,\" continues Tharaud. \"First and foremost, it is the most intimate way of playing chamber music... It was a joy to record this album... If hearing these pieces prompts people to buy some sheet music and enjoy playing duets together - just as we did in the recording studio - then I will have achieved my aim.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ERATO","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":45862047154410,"sku":"5054197933523","price":17.28,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4336814-3179537.jpg?v=1778370664"},{"product_id":"poulenc-works-for-piano","title":"Poulenc: Works for Piano","description":"This recording was made in June 1972, in the months after the construction of Nimbus Records first purpose built recording studio in Birmingham. The sessions included works by Mendelssohn and Brahms, both composers whose music Martin would go on to record for Nimbus in later years. Why the Poulenc was not released is a mystery. It was finished as a master for production less than a month after the recording, but has sat on the shelves for 53 years. Here is a joyful reminder of the youthful virtuosity of one of the UKs most highly regarded pianists. � Adrian Farmer","brand":"Nimbus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012531572970,"sku":"0710357711725","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4488818-3517866.jpg?v=1778216176"},{"product_id":"francis-poulenc-orchestral-works-tovey-bbc-concert-orchestra","title":"Poulenc: Orchestral Works \/ Tovey, BBC Concert Orchestra","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen we recorded this album, in March 2022, no-one could have imagined that it would be Bramwell Tovey’s last recording. Chandos Records would like to dedicate this recording to the memory of Bramwell Tovey, with whom the company had collaborated for over a decade; a versatile musician highly accomplished as both a composer and a conductor, immensely personable and humorous, who possessed an innate understanding of the qualities of his fellow orchestral musicians and quickly earned their respect and devotion. He shall be very sorely missed. Tovey and the BBC Concert orchestra capture the wit and charm of Poulenc’s music perfectly. Each piece sizzles with excitement, and the well-known pieces (the Sinfonietta and ballet Les Animaux modèles) are beautifully complemented by less frequently heard miniatures: ‘La Baigneuse de Trouville’ and ‘Discours du général’ from Les Mariés de la Tour Eiffel and ‘Pastourelle’ from L’Éventail de Jeanne.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLes Animaux modèles, in its complete version, is a real rarity… this score is an absolute masterpiece with an enchanting beauty of melodies, a finesse of orchestration and a poetic evocation of animals through an intelligent and subtle narration. In 40 minutes, this music is a marvel. Bramwell Tovey at the podium of a sharp and precise orchestra delivers a thoughtful and finely musical rigorous reading of content and form… The Sinfonietta is the ideal complement. Bramwell Tovey takes care of the lines and contours of this beautiful neo-classical tone score[.]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- Crescendo\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[Tovey] seems to gaze into the soul of the Sinfonietta … a deliciously refined account of Les animaux modèles… Astonishingly vivid Chandos engineering on a 'big-screen' soundstage.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- Hi-Fi News\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChandos collaborated with Bramwell Tovey for more than a decade and the music-making has his trademark naturalness and good humour. Not the most obvious farewell, perhaps, but in its avoidance of pomp and solemnity none the worse for that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- Gramophone\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one of the most enchanting discs of Poulenc’s orchestral music that one could wish for. It is also a fitting tribute to the fine musicianship and inimitable style of the conductor Bramwell Tovey…The BBC Concert Orchestra are on sparkling form and respond unfailingly to Tovey’s direction with alert and characterful playing throughout this SACD. In all respects this release is an absolute winner – 74 minutes of captivating music performed with finesse and recorded in state-of-the-art sound. Who could ask for more?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- HRAudio.net\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e…here the late Bramwell Tovey has the full measure of these pieces, finding every ounce of their piquancy and weight – and in a recording in which in its forensic detail registers with total faithfulness. Tovey and the BBC Concert Orchestra revel in the charm, wit and humor of some of Poulenc’s finest orchestral pieces…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- CDChoice.co.uk\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn excellent disc of some lesser-known Poulenc, very well performed and splendidly recorded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- MusicWeb International\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chandos","offers":[{"title":"SACD","offer_id":46012549628138,"sku":"095115526026","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4140645-2920423.jpg?v=1778243377"},{"product_id":"poulenc-plays-poulenc-and-satie","title":"Poulenc Plays Poulenc and Satie","description":"SOMM Recordings highlights the pianistic mastery of Francis Poulenc (1899�- 1963) with a release of extraordinary historic recordings including two of his four major concertante works and selected solo piano pieces. To mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Erik Satie (1866�- 1925), this recording also features Poulenc performing piano gems by Satie, whose distaste for academic routine and Romanticism had a profound influence on Poulenc and the other members of the ad hoc music group, Les Six. These performances, ranging from 1930 to 1950, have been brilliantly remastered by long-time SOMM collaborator, Lani Spahr, about whose work Gramophone has said, \"There are historic releases that make the grade because they are just that - 'historic' - and there are releases that make history because they are musically overwhelming.\"    This release opens with Poulenc's Concerto in D minor for two pianos and orchestra, commissioned by American-born heiress Princess Edmond de Polignac specifically to be premiered by the composer and his friend, Jacques Fevrier, at the International Festival of Contemporary Music in Venice in 1932. The vibrant colouration inherent in the piece was inspired by Balinese musicians whom Poulenc had heard at the Paris Colonial Exhibition of 1931. The performance heard here with Georges Pretre conducting the Orchestre National de France was recorded the year before Poulenc's sudden death, and again pairs Poulenc and Fevrier, thirty years after they created the world premiere.     While on tour in New York during the winter of 1949 \/1950, Poulenc recorded selections of his piano music along with twelve of his favourite compositions by Erik Satie. Poulenc's own music ranges from his earliest works, Trois mouvements perpetuelles, to the C major Nocturne from a set of eight, and the neo-classical Suite francaise of 1935-a homage to his 16th century compatriot, Claude Gervaise.    Erik Satie was not as gifted a pianist as Poulenc, and his technical limitations largely confined his output to the shorter forms, particularly for piano, where his singular creative genius shone at it's brightest. Amongst some of Satie's deliberately absurd titles-like \"Tyrolean Turk\" and \"Skinny Dance\"-Poulenc also chose to record one each of Satie's exquisitely crafted Gymnopedie and Gnossienne.    Aubade (Morning Song), a 1929 concerto for piano and chamber orchestra of eighteen instruments, is the final work on this release. It exists as both a Concerto choreographique, based on the Roman myth of the virgin huntress Diana, and also a concert version, as heard here. The positive response to Aubade led to a commercial recording with the Orchestre Straram conducted by Walther Straram, the 78rpm discs capturing Poulenc's only recording of this work.","brand":"SOMM Recordings","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012568142058,"sku":"758871504126","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4426955-3394289.jpg?v=1778210473"},{"product_id":"stravinsky-poulenc-satie-septets-3x7","title":"Stravinsky, Poulenc, Satie \u0026 Septets: 3x7","description":"Stravinsky, Poulenc, Satie \u0026amp; Septets: 3x7","brand":"Brilliant Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012570632426,"sku":"5028421961286","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4368183-3232727.jpg?v=1778223972"},{"product_id":"poulenc-la-voix-humaine-veronique-gens-bloch-lille-national-orchestra","title":"Poulenc: La Voix Humaine \/ Gens, Bloch, Orchestre National de Lille","description":"\u003cp\u003eVéronique Gens’s version of La Voix humaine has been eagerly awaited! This ‘lyric tragedy in one act’ might have been written for her, so ideally suited are her feeling for language and her dramatic intensity to Poulenc’s monologue on a text by Jean Cocteau, composed in 1958. This is a far cry from the ‘light’ Poulenc of the 1920s. Cocteau paid him the highest compliment: ‘Dear Francis, you have fixed, once and for all, the way to speak my text.’ Véronique Gens confesses that she had always wanted to perform and record this piece; now she has achieved her ambition, in close partnership with the Orchestre National de Lille under its music director Alexandre Bloch. Also featured on the album is the Sinfonietta: this is in fact a genuine symphony, but, as Nicolas Southon writes, ‘there is no denying that the work – commissioned by the BBC in 1947 – has a freshness and a freedom of tone that justify its title’.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell15_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLa voix humaine\u003c\/em\u003e is a monodrama.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\" id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell15_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGens had long wished to sing and record the piece, and was asked to perform it many times. She waited till she was ready for such a demanding piece, a work she must carry for forty minutes of, at times, very intense solo singing. Poulenc’s favourite soprano Denise Duval performed it first. She almost co-composed the piece\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell15_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003eIt is clear that Madame Gens has really thought through the work and what it requires. Her decision to wait to be certain before she was ready to tackle this piece would seem to have paid off handsomely. This is an outstanding interpretation, the right artist recording the right work at the right time. That top C is nailed alright, and at the few other moments of “real singing” her familiar sound and line are as eloquent as usual. But the rest, the ‘heightened talking’, is equally persuasive, realistic and moving. Of course, that realism is also distressing, as we eavesdrop on deep personal anguish. At one point, Elle confesses to a suicide attempt. Some listeners will surely find the work rather harrowing, not one for everyday listening. But if one of the duties of art is to portray life in all its grimness as well as all its glory, then \u003cem\u003eLa voix humaine \u003c\/em\u003eshould be heard.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003e-- MusicWeb International\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alpha","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012592849130,"sku":"3760014198991","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4160902-2945037.jpg?v=1778231779"},{"product_id":"poulenc-piano-music-5029365102179","title":"Poulenc: Piano Music \/ Cipelli","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis new album presents a delightful selection of Poulenc’s piano music, starting with the intriguing little Valse (1919) from L’Album des Six, which first presented in published form the collective of Franco-Swiss composers who came to be known under that title. As the fruit of a trip to Italy in the company of Darius Milhaud, a fellow Les Six-er, Napoli is a suite written in 1925 and presenting Italian forms through the light of Poulenc’s irrepressible personality.\n\u003cbr\u003eMore affecting are the eight Nocturnes, composed between 1929 and 1938, and the three Novelettes (1927-1959), while the ’Six petites pièces enfantines’ that make up the Villageoises of 1933 share the a spirit of gentle playfulness with Poulenc’s popular musical tale, Babar the Elephant. One day when Poulenc was improvising on the piano, his cousin’s little girl exclaimed: “Grandfather, it’s so boring when you play like that, why don’t you play us this?”. And in 1945, once the dreadful war years were over, Poulenc was happy to oblige.\n\u003cbr\u003eThe Trois Mouvements perpetuels are early pieces, a product of the kaleidoscopic ‘harlequin years’ of Paris in the 1920s. The three movements reveal a musical freshness and fluidity somewhat reminiscent of Satie, whose individualistic approach to life and art inspired the members of Les Six, to whom he served as a kind of honorary president. Finally, Poulenc evokes the spirit of Bach returns in a surprising guise in the Valse-Improvisation sur le nom de Bach, a piece bursting with vitality, in perfect keeping with the famous pianist Vladimir Horowitz, to whom it was dedicated.\n\u003cbr\u003eTwo previous albums by Chiara Cipelli on Brilliant Classics and Piano Classics have won enthusiastic praise from reviewers in Fanfare magazine. The piano music of Bruno Bettinelli is ‘presented with wonderful vigour and colour by the fine young Lombardy native Chiara Cipelli’ (95801), while ‘Cipelli’s technical capabilities are impressive throughout’ her selection of early Messiaen pieces (PCL10200).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Piano Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012606939370,"sku":"5029365102179","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4290294-3141864.jpg?v=1778240998"},{"product_id":"resonus-poulenc-les-oeuvres-de-sa-jeunesse","title":"Poulenc: Les oeuvres de sa jeunesse \/ Andrews, Manchester Camerata","description":"\u003cp\u003ePoulenc the miniaturist par excellence burst into public view, fully-formed in his late teens, emerging flamboyantly into the artistic swirl of 1920s Paris. His fabulously inventive, quirky and colourful approach to writing for chamber ensemble and voice comes vividly to life in this set of early works which capture all of his youthful elegance, wit, and occasionally sardonic humour. Many of these early masterpieces are now well-known in their incarnations for piano; but his sheer inventiveness and joyful revelry in a kaleidoscopic riot of instrumental colour is celebrated here in the earliest versions of such classics as Le Bestiaire and Cocardes, alongside masterpieces more cruelly treated by his contemporaries, the Quatre Poemes de Max Jacob and Le Gendarme Incompris.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Resonus Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012620374250,"sku":"5060262793749","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4322679-3142013.jpg?v=1778233891"},{"product_id":"poulenc-prokofiev-mirrors","title":"Poulenc \u0026 Prokofiev: Mirrors","description":"Paul Huang and Helen Huang have been exploring the repertoire for violin and piano for now a decade. As a way of celebrating their fruitful and enriching collaboration, they have devised this album as an ingenious game of mirroring. The title of this second album for na�ve is not accidental, as the two musicians offer highly diverse perspectives. This new recording focuses first on two sonatas composed by Francis Poulenc (1942-1943) and Sergei Prokofiev (1938-1946) during the second world war of the 20th century, respectively at the opening and closing of this album. Between these two pieces, Spiegel i'm Spiegel by Arvo Part (1978), a page with ethereal lines, a moment of introspection and calm that becomes a space for contemplation and reflection necessary in this otherwise dense and angular programme.","brand":"Naïve","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012669493482,"sku":"3700187686178","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4384454-3290381.jpg?v=1778212084"},{"product_id":"mass-gloria","title":"Mass \u0026 Gloria","description":"The new Kreuzkantor Martin Lehmann and his Dresdner Kreuzchor present their new recording of Francis Poulenc's \"Gloria\" for soprano, mixed choir and orchestra (FP 177). Combining it with the liturgically corresponding \"Mass\" for soloists, choir and orchestra in A flat major (D 678) by Franz Schubert. They performed the two works in the acoustically magnificent Kulturpalast Dresden with a first-class cast of soloist Elsa Benoit, Irike Malotta, Patrick Grahl and Klaus Hager. This album is continuing the Dresden Philarmonic  Orchestra and Kreuzchor's long history of recordings and artistic collaboration on Berlin Classics.","brand":"Berlin Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012741746922,"sku":"885470037707","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4409989-3332512.jpg?v=1778195063"},{"product_id":"poulenc-aubade-le-bal-masque-flute-sonata-854952","title":"Poulenc: Aubade - Le bal masqué - Flute Sonata - Sextet \/ Bebbington, McDonough, Williams, Latham-Koenig, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this second album in his French series, pianist Mark Bebbington is joined by baritone Roderick Williams and flautist Emer McDonough alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Jan Latham-Koening in a further program of music by Francis Poulenc. Featuring some of Poulenc’s most characteristic works, the program begins with his 1929 piano concerto Aubade originally written with a choreographed ballet element for a private fancy-dress party. The following year saw the composer set Surrealist poems by his friend Max Jacob in his work Le Bal Masqué, which Poulenc described as a ‘secular cantata’. Written in 1956 the Flute Sonata was described by the composer himself as being ‘simple but subtle’, while completing the album is the 1931 Sextet for piano and wind quintet.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Resonus Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012855779562,"sku":"5060262793077","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3964332-2713380.jpg?v=1778229654"},{"product_id":"poulenc-complete-chamber-music-vol-3-136675","title":"Poulenc: Complete Chamber Music Vol 3","description":"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","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012900966634,"sku":"730099461320","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/323292.jpg?v=1778349324"},{"product_id":"the-musical-advent-calendar","title":"The Musical Advent Calendar","description":"This is the newest release in the popular series the Musical Advent Calendar. Featuring the best professional and amateur ensembles of the SWR, this release includes the most famous Christmas songs.","brand":"SWR","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012916236522,"sku":"4010276026211","price":8.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2309602.jpg?v=1778315104"},{"product_id":"un-siecle-de-musique-francaise-francis-poulenc-63373","title":"Un Siecle de Musique Francaise: Francis Poulenc","description":"\u003cp\u003eA budget-priced collection of highlights from among the composer's solo piano, chamber, vocal, and orchestral works, including his famous Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani in G minor.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sony Masterworks","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012999598314,"sku":"888751929425","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3324610.jpg?v=1778292562"},{"product_id":"poulenc-melodies-1939-1961-poulenc-et-ses-241351","title":"Poulenc: Melodies 1939-1961 \"Poulenc et ses Poetes\" \/ Coladonato, Proietti","description":"Poulenc once declared that ‘the musical transposition of a poem must be an act of love, not a marriage of convenience.’ By the age of four he was already able to recite Mallarme’s Apparition by heart, and while still very young he made his first efforts at setting verses to music. He loved listening to poets read their own work, and he was a voracious reader, who saw his purpose as a composer to embellish to enrich but never to obscure the words or their meaning. Poulenc loved singers and good singing as much as poetry. All these cycles were written with particular artists in mind; several of them for his life partner, the baritone Pierre Bernac, but he also worked very closely with Clare Croiza and Denise Duval, among others. Thus his vocal lines reflect their individual personalities while being couched in his own, very singable, jazz-inflected idiom. Valentina Coladonato has chosen a path less travelled through Poulenc’s song oeuvre, avoiding the Chansons villageoises and Air chantes. Yet in La Fraîcheur et le feu, setting Poulenc’s contemporary Paul Eluard, we find an intensity and urgency of expression to rival his masterpiece, the Dialogues of the Carmelites. Motifs from the opera recur in another Eluard cycle, Le travail du peintre, which addresses seven modern painters in turn from Picasso to Villon. A bittersweet air lingers over the Dernier poeme by Desnos, Aragon’s C and the monologue La dame de Monte Carlo; but his extrovert, amusing music-hall side comes to the fore in Les chemins de l’amour, based on Jean Anouilh’s Leocadia and dedicated to Yvonne Printemps, who was a singer of light music. Even within the same cycle there are contrasting moments that eloquently illustrate Poulenc’s own artistic credo: ‘My music is my portrait’. A specialist in early and new music, the soprano Valentina Coladonato has worked with conductors including Riccardo Muti and Claudio Abbado. She and Claudio Proietti have also recorded the Shakespeare Sonnets of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco for Brilliant Classics (BC95548).","brand":"Brilliant Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013010477290,"sku":"5028421958149","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3687206-2414301.jpg?v=1778275992"},{"product_id":"poulenc-ballet-suites-for-piano","title":"Poulenc: Ballet Suites for Piano","description":"This program brings together première recordings of Francis Poulenc’s own piano versions of his ‘ballet of atmosphere’ Les Biches and ‘choreographic concerto’ Aubade, as well as the first digital recording of the suite from Les Animaux modèles, inspired by the fables of La Fontaine and compiled by Grant Johannesen with the composer’s agreement.  ‘Piano scores’ are an essential part of rehearsing and choreographing any ballet, but the piano was also indispensable to Poulenc’s compositional process.  He owed his love of classical dance to years of working closely with Dyaghilev, and his music brims with subtlety, humor, genuine emotion, piquant harmonies and rhythmic lightness.","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013032202474,"sku":"747313317073","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2778011_d3fc53b0-e882-47e3-a465-56d20e5a7487.jpg?v=1778342674"},{"product_id":"melodies-of-francis-poulenc","title":"Mélodies of Francis Poulenc","description":"This is a beautiful program of art songs by Francis Poulenc, performed by soprano Alissa Deeter and pianist Arlene Shrut. A nationally recognized performer with firm footing in both classical and musical theatre circles, she is an active recitalist with a penchant for French mélodie as well as the treasured compositions of Gershwin, Porter, Berlin, and Weill. She was a founding member and co-director of The Miscreants Cabaret, a fringe theatre troupe in San Francisco that wrote, produced, and performed original works. Dr. Deeter is the co-author of The Mélodies of Francis Poulenc: A Study Guide (Scarecrow Press, 2014) and has several articles published in the Journal of Singing. She recently presented the lecture recital “The Gender Gap in Francis Poulenc’s Mélodies” at the College Music Society’s International Conference in Stockholm and Helsinki.","brand":"Centaur Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013066707178,"sku":"044747357720","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3756809_543d7bce-a7de-4910-a56b-92b9cc07401b.jpg?v=1778261141"},{"product_id":"poulenc-wind-music-ensemble-confoederatio-289925","title":"Poulenc: Wind Music \/ Ensemble Confoederatio","description":"On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the composer’s birth, six internationally acclaimed soloists are now presenting chamber music by Francis Poulenc, and what these young musicians, all of them active in Switzerland, charm onto the stage, grips us from the very first measure.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  The incomparable combination of breathtaking virtuosity and playful lightness as well as songlike melos and deep emotion long ago qualified this anti-Romantic rebel of the 1920s as a modern classic. Already the opening Sextet for Piano and Wind Quintet emancipates itself from the chains of convention. Not a one of the movements designed in classical form adheres to a fixed metrical pattern. Shifts of meter and tempo again and again relax the structure. The resultant extremely entertaining impression pervades the entire program, from the early Trio for Piano, Oboe, and Bassoon to the later Duo Sonatas. Poulenc’s preference for wind instruments may perhaps be explained by his French origins and his predilection for song – since it is not without reason that he ranks as one of the most important song composers of the twentieth century. Even without texts his chamber music is highly expressive and dynamic. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  This brand-new Super Audio album offers high-resolution sound and three-dimensional imaging, transports audiences deep into the music, and makes us forget the highest degree of technical difficulty involved in the scores. A disc for mirthful entertainment on the very highest level!\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  -----\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  REVIEW:\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  The Ensemble Confoederatio players evidently have fun in the Sextet. Bassoonist Axel Benoit phrases nicely in the first-movement bridge which heralds the slow section. There isn’t quite the sense of Gallic humour summoned up by Rogé and friends, but it’s a close call. Portuguese flautist Rute Fernandes plays her sonata suavely, especially the jocular finale. Maria Sournatcheva captures the tragic introspection of the Oboe Sonata well. Sérgio Pires delivers a rollicking Clarinet Sonata, fuller and rounder in tone than Michel Portal's. Overall, individual performances stand up well and this disc should provide a lot of pleasurable listening.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  – Gramophone","brand":"MDG","offers":[{"title":"SACD","offer_id":46013080928490,"sku":"760623215266","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3760237-2534954.jpg?v=1778250697"},{"product_id":"poulenc-sacred-music-rutter-cambridge-singers-et-198924","title":"Poulenc: Sacred Music \/ Rutter, Cambridge Singers, Et Al","description":"\u003cp\u003e'These performances are a joy to listen to' BBC Record Review\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Collegium Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013088792810,"sku":"040888050629","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/828747.jpg?v=1778191279"},{"product_id":"poulenc-piano-concerto-concerto-champetre-other-works-293500","title":"Poulenc: Piano Concerto, Concerto Champetre \u0026 Other Works \/ Rebbington, Latham-koenig, Royal Philharmonic","description":"\u003cimg src=\"\/graphics\/features\/gramophone_choice.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The acclaimed pianist Mark Bebbington marks his Resonus Classics debut, and the start of a new French music series, with a major new recording of works by Francis Poulenc. Joined by conductor Jan Latham-Koenig, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, this varied programme of works for piano features the Piano Concerto (the last of his five concertos) and the rarely-recorded piano version of the Concert champêtre so often performed by Poulenc himself. Bebbington is also joined by oboist John Roberts and bassoonist Jonathan Davies for the Trio for Piano, Oboe \u0026amp; Bassoon, and the Sonata for Oboe \u0026amp; Piano.","brand":"Resonus Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013090824426,"sku":"5060262792148","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3797783-2562230.jpg?v=1778243405"},{"product_id":"francis-poulenc-melodies-sur-des-poemes-de-168249","title":"Francis Poulenc: Melodies Sur Des Poemes De Guillaume Apollinaire","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003ePOULENC \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eMelodies on Poems of Guillaume Apollinaire: \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eDans le jardin d’Anna; Allons plus vite; La Grenoullière; Montparnasse; Hyde Park; Anguille; Carte-Postale; Avant le Cinéma; 1904; Rosemonde; Le Présent; Chanson; Hier. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eBanalités. Bleuet. Le Bestiaire. Cortège d’Orphée. Calligrammes \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Holger Falk (bar); Alessandro Zuppardo (pn) \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e MDG 6031658 (58:51 \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eText and Translation) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eWhat an utterly delightful CD this is! From start to finish light, bright, engaging, and completely immersed in Poulenc’s unusual sound world. Holger Falk, a name unknown to me, is an extraordinarily light, high baritone, a true \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003ebariton-matin, \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003ea voice classification virtually nonexistent among German singers—but here he is, with an upper range so free and extensive, both in full voice and \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003evoix mixte\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, that much of the time he sounds like a tenor. It is also a unique voice; though it has a definite German lyric-baritone sound, there is no one else he reminds me of. The voice has a velvet sheen that is wholly unique. And what an artist he is, much more subtle in a lyrical sort of way than declamatory as so many of his brethren tend to be. I found his interpretations of the famed \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eLe Bestiaire\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e a trifle more restrained than Thomas Allen’s outstanding recording of them (CRD 3437, the orchestrated version with the Nash Ensemble), yet comparing Falk to Allen—as well as to Pierre Bernac, in the original 1945 recording with Poulenc on piano—reveals not only that he is able to hold his own as an interpreter, but that his voice sounds much more tenorish than either of those esteemed singers. Falk’s extensive high range sounds like an arched extension of his lower tones, rather than an add-on as in the case of Bernac, whose voice—after not having heard it in some years—suddenly strikes me as somewhat Russian in quality, particularly the low range. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eIn addition to being an outstanding song interpreter, then, Falk has a voice I could listen to all day without fatigue. His range, arched phrasing, sensitive dynamic shading, and ability to color his tones all mark him as an artist of outstanding sensibility. I should also point out that Alessandro Zuppardo, though in a supporting role, is equally sensitive and highly musical, capable of give-and-take with his singer to a degree rare among duos who are not permanent concert partners, but since he has had extensive experience accompanying singers (among them Renato Bruson, Mariella Devia, Fabio Armiliato, Cecilia Bartoli, and Vincenzo La Scola) this comes as less of a surprise. This is a disc you’ll play over and over and over again, if you enjoy Poulenc’s songs or modern French song in general. MDG’s outstanding sound quality—rich, round, with just the right amount of natural reverberance—lends an extra patina of quality to this release. Bravo, Falk and Zuppardo! I hope to hear much more of you in the years to come. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: Lynn René Bayley \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"MDG","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013175693546,"sku":"760623165820","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1787194_f2311ffa-f9e3-4d17-8ede-a76d6d7b7ae4.jpg?v=1778323651"},{"product_id":"saint-saens-symphony-no-3-poulenc-organ-291055","title":"Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3 - Poulenc: Organ Concerto \/ Jansons, Apkalna, Bavarian Radio Symphony","description":"Two great symphonic organ concertos can be heard on the new album from BR-KLASSIK: the famous Organ Symphony by Camille Saint-Saëns and the lesser-known but highly impressive Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani by Francis Poulenc. The Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks is conducted by Mariss Jansons, and the organ soloist is the excellent Latvian musician Iveta Apkalna, one of the most renowned concert organists of our time. In his Symphony no. 3 in C minor, op. 78, the so-called ”Organ Symphony” of 1886, Camille Saint-Saëns succeeded in integrating the organ into the musical fabric of a symphonic work. Of this, the last of his five symphonies, Saint-Saëns wrote: “Here, I gave everything I was able to give. What I have here accomplished I will never achieve again.” Francis Poulenc's Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani in G minor was composed in 1938. At a time when it was no longer customary to present a solo concerto for organ, the work, with its unusual choice of instruments, is a tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach. In contrast to the organ compositions by the Baroque master, of course, Poulenc wrote for a large organ that could achieve impressive sound effects. The Latvian concert organist Iveta Apkalna debuted in 2007 with the Berlin Philharmonic under Claudio Abbado. As the titular organist of the new Klais organ at the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, she played at the opening of the new concert hall in 2017 with world premieres of works by Wolfgang Rihm, together with Thomas Hengelbrock and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester. In 2018, she received prestigious music awards in Latvia in the “Musician of the Year” and “Concert of the Year” categories, and that same year, as part of the centennial celebrations of the Republic of Latvia, she was awarded the highest state order of merit in the country.","brand":"BR Klassik","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013315711210,"sku":"4035719001785","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3782270-2540738.jpg?v=1778245348"},{"product_id":"capriccio-mid-century-music-for-clarinet","title":"Capriccio: Mid-Century Music for Clarinet","description":"Clarinet virtuoso David Howard performs some of the greatest works for clarinet and piano from the Mid-20th Century.","brand":"Centaur Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013401465066,"sku":"044747220123","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2243527.jpg?v=1778289802"},{"product_id":"poulenc-mass-in-g-major-elora-festival-95664","title":"Poulenc: Mass in G Major… \/ Elora Festival Singers","description":"\u003cimg src=\"\/graphics\/p10s10.gif\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  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. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  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. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  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. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  -- David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013411197162,"sku":"747313297870","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2849717.jpg?v=1778289911"},{"product_id":"eric-le-sage-plays-poulenc-52126","title":"Eric Le Sage plays Poulenc","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe enchanting piano music of Francis Poulenc deserves to be better known. Perhaps the finest exponent it has enjoyed on record is the French artist Eric Le Sage. ClassicsToday.com called his recording of the concertos the finest single disc available, “better even than the composer’s recordings, and that’s saying a lot. They have everything: style, spirit, a vivid sense of fun, a touch of sentiment that never turns maudlin, and that ability to change moods every few bars that Poulenc always requires. Beautifully clean, well-balanced sonics round out this enticing picture.” BBC Music Magazine declared: “Eric Le Sage is an outstanding Poulenc pianist.” All his recordings of the composer are now brought together in this 6-CD box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs well as the piano music 0 which he plays with an ideal balance of insouciance and intensity - there are the two piano concertos and the Aubade, and all the sonatas, with a superb lineup of soloists. Buckets of charm here, in very good sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Gramophone (12\/2016)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sony Masterworks","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46015545999594,"sku":"889853219926","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3464371.jpg?v=1778292207"},{"product_id":"poulenc-the-sacred-music-for-unaccompanied-choir-190018","title":"Poulenc: The Sacred Music For Unaccompanied Choir \/ Marlow","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn assured and impressive performance, with expressive dynamic shadings, pure intonation, and intelligent phrasing.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ...John Rutter and Richard Marlow with their Cambridge choirs here cover all Poulenc's sacred choral music except the Stabat mater... Both sets of performances are very good, with fine balance, expressive dynamic shadings, pure intonation, intelligent phrasing and excellent enunciation—so good that it seems a pity their programmes should overlap for the Penitential and Christmas motets and the three others. The main difference between them is that the acoustics of Trinity College chapel are more resonant than that of University College School hall, used by Rutter (though this has certainly no lack of warmth): as a result, the College choir, already splendidly firm of voice, produces a notably rich sonority... The Regent Chamber Choir...snatches off ends of phrases too abruptly. This habit is very marked in Poulenc's angular and Stravinskyan Mass, in which weight and fullness of tone are lacking in the men (e.g. at the start of the \"Gloria\"), as becomes very obvious when compared with Marlow's assured and impressive performance (with a very sweet-toned soprano in the \"Agnus Dei\").\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e -- Gramophone [10\/1988, comparing this CD with Collegium 506 and Regent\/Target 101]\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Conifer Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46020193452266,"sku":"743211899222","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3892254_886476a3-197f-419a-b92a-d6ff05ea13cb.jpg?v=1778279824"},{"product_id":"poulenc-complete-chamber-music-vol-2-tharaud-173178","title":"Poulenc: Complete Chamber Music Vol 2 \/ Tharaud, Mourja, Etc","description":"\u003cimg src=\"\/graphics\/p10s10.gif\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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]\u003cbr\u003e --David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025342320874,"sku":"730099461221","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/587655.jpg?v=1778345634"},{"product_id":"poulenc-complete-chamber-music-vol-4-234495","title":"Poulenc: Complete Chamber Music Vol 4","description":"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.\u003cbr\u003eThis 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.","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025386328298,"sku":"730099461429","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/343138.jpg?v=1778349446"},{"product_id":"poulenc-piano-music","title":"Poulenc: Piano Music","description":"Classical Music","brand":"SOMM Recordings","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025558098154,"sku":"7488713035220","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3891897_65592266-2a46-4dee-ba29-69bb6b9716fb.jpg?v=1778189327"},{"product_id":"poulenc-concertos","title":"Poulenc Concertos","description":"Francis Poulenc is not an easy composer to relate to. Not the man himself perhaps- though possibly that too- but his music. It is somehow dated. Here is a composer who produced his best works, all more or less completely tonal, at a time when Arnold Schoenberg was writing twelve-tone music and Poulenc's countrymen Oliver Messiaen and Pierre Boulez were into innovative rhythms, scales and techniques to lift the music out of the realm of subjective emotionalism. This release features three concertos by Francis Poulenc. The Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani (1938) is considered to be the most popular and, perhaps, the most serious. The Piano Concerto (1949), a light concerto a wellspring of musical ideas, more or less brutally juxtaposed. The Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra (1932) lies perhaps somewhere between these two.","brand":"LAWO Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025984606442,"sku":"7090020181950","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3699053-2473251.jpg?v=1778257295"},{"product_id":"francis-poulenc-christophers-the-sixteen-209563","title":"Poulenc: Mass in G, Four Christmas Motets, Etc \/ Christophers, The Sixteen","description":"Francis Poulenc is considered one of the greatest melodists of the 20th century but it is his individual and immediately recognizable harmonic language that makes his music so distinctive. Often overlooked in his lifetime and in the years after his death, his sacred music was an expression of his more serious side and, following the death of his close friend, Pierre-Octave Ferroud, a re-awakening of his religious faith. The Sixteen’s new recording centers around the themes of conflict and atonement, reflecting both Poulenc’s intense internal struggles and the turbulence of life in France during the mid-20th century. “Some choirs of high renown aim for a kind of robotic perfection in sync with the digital age. Christophers’ troupe contains human beings coloring lines with individual hues, yet still acting and breathing as one.” (The Times)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  -----\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  REVIEW:\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  The sacred music of Francis Poulenc would seem somewhat off the regular path of the popular British choir The Sixteen, but they show themselves to be sensitive and skillful Poulenc interpreters. The Mass in G is perfectly controlled, but somehow radiant.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  – All Music Guide","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025990832362,"sku":"828021614927","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3565734.jpg?v=1778302466"},{"product_id":"v-1-art-of-the-bassoon-842977091496","title":"Art of the Bassoon, Vol. 1 \/ Sambeek","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Brilliant Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46026295607530,"sku":"842977091496","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/550x556.jpg?v=1778279225"},{"product_id":"poulenc-dialogues-des-carmelites","title":"Poulenc: Dialogues des Carmélites","description":"Susan Gritton, Sylvie Brunet, Soile Isokoski, Susanne Resmark, Helene Guilmette, Bernard Richter, and Alain Vernhes star in this Bayreuth production of the Poulenc opera conducted by Kent Nagano and directed by Dmitri Tcherniakov.","brand":"BelAir Classiques","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46026305896682,"sku":"3760115300613","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/896631.jpg?v=1778189914"},{"product_id":"poulenc-the-complete-songs-vol-5","title":"Poulenc: The Complete Songs, Vol. 5","description":"Composing over 150 works for piano and voice over a period of 44 years, the songs of Francis Poulenc remain consistently popular to concert audiences the world over. Varying in their individual style and character, Poulenc set music to a wide range of different French poetry – both ancient and modern, and from the serious to the surreal. The final disc in Signum’s series of The Complete Songs of Francis Poulenc features a cast of the finest singers of our generation, accompanied by Malcolm Martineau as well as additional instrumental soloists for Poulenc’s larger-ensemble settings of his songs.","brand":"Signum Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46026408100074,"sku":"635212033326","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2911294.jpg?v=1778302936"},{"product_id":"vocal-recital-dawson-lynne-poulenc-f-hahn-r-chau","title":"Vocal Recital: Dawson, Lynne - Poulenc, F. \/ Hahn, R. \/ Chau","description":"Vocal Recital: Dawson, Lynne - Poulenc, F. \/ Hahn, R. \/ Chau","brand":"Berlin Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46026441228522,"sku":"782124175825","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/779020.jpg?v=1778188925"},{"product_id":"poulenc-dialogues-des-carmelites-1","title":"Poulenc: Dialogues des Carmélites","description":"Susan Gritton, Sylvie Brunet, Soile Isokoski, Susanne Resmark, Helene Guilmette, Bernard Richter, and Alain Vernhes star in this Bayreuth production of the Poulenc opera conducted by Kent Nagano and directed by Dmitri Tcherniakov.","brand":"BelAir Classiques","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46026585833706,"sku":"3760115304611","price":31.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/896630.jpg?v=1778386971"},{"product_id":"figure-humaine-choral-works-by-francis-poulenc-57934","title":"Figure Humaine - Choral Works By Francis Poulenc \/ Tenebrae","description":"\u003cp\u003eFRANCIS POULENC. 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This is the fourth release in our series that will encompass the complete songs of Francis Poulenc, performed by some of the greatest singers of the day and accompanied by the exceptional Malcolm Martineau.","brand":"Signum Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46027377803498,"sku":"635212032329","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2335492.jpg?v=1778314986"},{"product_id":"tel-jour-telle-nuit","title":"TEL JOUR TELLE NUIT","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Arte Verum","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46027684544746,"sku":"5425019971045","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1356243.jpg?v=1778328961"},{"product_id":"francis-poulenc-wind-sonatas-wind-trio-ensemble-midtvest-366971","title":"Francis Poulenc: Wind Sonatas; Wind Trio \/ Ensemble Midtvest","description":"Francis Poulenc is perhaps the composer whose works come the closest to embodying the French esprit, a multivalent term referring to a special blend of brilliance, sensuousness, aestheticism, and above all Frenchness. This is music that is mirthful as well as serious, entertaining and demanding, and superficial as well as profound. It was thus that Francis Poulenc composed, he who called himself »Poulenc-Janus« in an allusion to the Roman god who had two faces and could simultaneously look this way and that. Poulenc’s music is often stamped by this ambiguity, and his chamber music for winds is the ideal repertoire for the cpo debut of an aspiring young ensemble from Denmark: the Ensemble MidtVest. This ensemble is formed by eleven musicians, enthusiasts as well as individualists, who are graduates of leading European and American musical institutions of higher learning, and some of them have repeatedly been honored with prizes. The ensemble was founded in 2002 and has earned a fine reputation for its creative programs, high artistic level, and constant questioning of the conventional concert form. Its core formation for string quartet, wind quintet, and piano promotes flexibility, variation, and rich color in the combination of instruments. The Ensemble MidtVest performs as a duo as well as a sonorous nonet. It is one of the five »basis ensembles« in Denmark.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  - CPO","brand":"CPO","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46028018516202,"sku":"761203771127","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2058978.jpg?v=1778381108"},{"product_id":"poulenc-stabat-mater-pal-ntsc","title":"POULENC: Stabat Mater (PAL\/NTSC)","description":"Poulenc wrote his \"Stabat Mater,\" a hauntingly passionate work, after visiting the sacred shrine of the Black Madonna of Rocamadour. He made a pilgrimage to her remote chapel in the south of France after a good friend of his was hilled in a car accident.","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46028030116074,"sku":"809478000174","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/419018.jpg?v=1778380397"},{"product_id":"musik-festival-davos-young-artists-in-concert-262253","title":"Musik Festival Davos - Young Artists In Concert","description":"MUSIK FESTIVAL DAVOS - YOUNG A","brand":"Sony Masterworks","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46034519392490,"sku":"5099706835325","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3816815.jpg?v=1778246011"},{"product_id":"frensh-music-for-flute-and-har","title":"Frensh Music For Flute And Har","description":"Denmark’s leading instrumentalists Ulla Miilmann (flute) and Tine Rehling (harp) joined forces to record a superb collection of late romantic and impressionistic works by an alley of foremost composers of France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  \nUlla Miilmann and Tine Rehling began their collaboration as duo in 2007. They have since been dazzling wide range of audiences with their pure and elegant interpretation of repertoire with a significant emphasis on French music.","brand":"Kontrapunkt","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46039681859818,"sku":"716043234523","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4388301-3297895.jpg?v=1778801877"},{"product_id":"poulenc-complete-chamber-music-vol-1-195123","title":"Poulenc: Complete Chamber Music Vol 1","description":"\u003cimg src=\"\/graphics\/p10s10.gif\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis 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","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46039755129066,"sku":"730099461122","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/299921.jpg?v=1778808879"},{"product_id":"poulenc-complete-music-for-solo-piano-paul-185539","title":"Poulenc: Complete Music For Solo Piano \/ Paul Crossley","description":"POULENC: COMPLETE MUSIC FOR SO","brand":"CBS Masterworks","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46039898947818,"sku":"074644492125","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3891607.jpg?v=1778822260"}],"url":"https:\/\/arkivmusic.com\/collections\/francis-poulenc.oembed?page=2","provider":"ArkivMusic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}