Francis Poulenc
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:31st Aug '95
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This insightful examination of Poulenc's music highlights his evolution from a rebellious youth to a respected composer, exploring his societal influences, significant works, and lasting impact on French musical tradition.
Francis Poulenc offers a thoughtful examination of the composer's music through a carefully curated selection of his works. Written by an authoritative figure in the field, the book adopts a chronological framework that traces Poulenc's evolution from a rebellious young artist to a sophisticated composer entrenched in society. Initially perceived as a mere product of the post-World War I era, Poulenc has demonstrated remarkable longevity and relevance, outlasting many of his contemporaries from Les Six.
The author, Mellers, places Poulenc within the broader context of French culture and society following the war. He explores the influence of notable figures such as Erik Satie and Emmanuel Chabrier on Poulenc's development. Key works are highlighted, including the ballet Les Biches and its significant successors, along with transitional pieces like the Concerto for two pianos and orchestra. Mellers also delves into Poulenc's social music from the 1930s, emphasizing the importance of song and his collaborations with poets like Guillaume Apollinaire and Paul Eluard.
The book further examines the impact of World War II on Poulenc's music, particularly in his choral compositions Quatre Motets de Pénitence and the Organ Concerto. Mellers dedicates sections to Poulenc's operatic works, his relationships with literary figures like Bernanos and Jean Cocteau, and his late religious compositions, including the Stabat Mater. Throughout, the text is enriched with musical examples, providing insight into Poulenc's enduring appeal and his significant place within the French musical tradition.
Affectionate, perceptive commentary * BBC Music Magazine *
`by far the best of this book is its tender regard for its subject and the biographical and cultural sensitivity by which it is realised. It can be treasured for its affection, and for the apparently artless evocation by means of quotation, allusion, and felicitous original writing of, for instance, the strong if fugitive line of quintessential Frenchness to which Poulenc is heir' Musical Times
Reading Francis Poulenc by Wilfred Mellers is like having a conversation with a culutred nad intelligent man of great experience. Mellers writes with wit and conviction about Poulenc's compositiions and effortlessly alludes to a wide variety of works by notable authors and composers...The informal tone of many of the analyses draws the reader not only closer to the music, but invites an ever more intimate association with Mellers...Meller's book is a welcome addition to the Oxford Studies of Composers series and to the body of work on Francis Poulenc * The French Review *
`At his best, as in the chapter on Poulenc's theatre music, with its expansive account of the Dialogue des Carmélites, Mellers is unsurpassed ... this book does go to the heart of Poulenc and it deserves to be read.' Times Literary Supplement
`the glimpses are powerful' Roderic Dunnett, Church Times
`Mellers has that rare gift of being able to talk about music. His chatty descriptions of pieces are so thorough that you feel you've already heard them - or don't need to - and he's never at a loss for words. Excerpts from Mellers's Francis Poulenc surely will find their way into program notes for at least the next decade.' American Organist, June 1994
`Drafting the book was, he says, a labour of love; and he is a perspicacious scholar ... the glimpses are powerful.' Roderic Dunnett, Church Times
'It can be treasured for its affection, and for the apparently artless evocation by means of quotation, allusion, and felicitous original writing of, for instance, the strong if fugitive line of quintessential Frenchnes to which Poulenc is heir,' Robin Holloway. The Musical Times
'Mellers one of the most respected and articulate writers on music, has produced a gem. The author leaves many song text and other quotations in the original French, so a modest knowledge of the language will be helpful but not entirely necessary for enjoyment of the book. This volume will be a pleasure to anyone, from general reader to specialist.' W. Ross, University of Virginia. Choice May '94
ISBN: 9780198163381
Dimensions: 217mm x 136mm x 13mm
Weight: 285g
204 pages