Francis Poulenc - Piano Concerto (1949) {Duchâble}

Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (7 January 1899 - 30 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include mélodies, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-known are the piano suite Trois mouvements perpétuels (1919), the ballet Les biches (1923), the Concert champêtre (1928) for harpsichord and orchestra, the Organ Concerto (1938), the opera Dialogues des Carmélites (1957), and the Gloria (1959) for soprano, choir and orchestra.
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Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor (1949)
Dedication: à Denise Duval et Raymond Destouches
I. Allegretto (0:00)
II. Andante con moto: Commencer très calmement (10:18)
III. Rondeau a La Française: Presto giocoso (15:52)
François-René Duchâble, piano and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by James Conlon
The tuneful, energetic concerto was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra to restore relations between Paris, Poulenc's hometown, and the United States after the Second World War. It was premiered by the BSO with Charles Munch conducting and the composer at the piano on 6 January 1950, but was not particularly well received. It was noted that there was "more sympathy than real enthusiasm," which the composer attributed to the notion that the audience had listened to too much Sibelius. One critic wrote in Le Figaro: "Certainly it isn’t a concerto at all but a little picture of manners, done up by a minor master." But Poulenc wrote: "I lead an austere existence in this very Puritan town."
Each of the concerto's three movements is shorter than the one before:
Allegretto - A first theme in C sharp minor is exposed by the soloist to which other melodic motifs in a lyrical and sensual spirit gather around. A median largo of mystical inspiration follows before the resumption of the initial theme.
Andante con moto - First rustic and melancholic theme in E flat major, then follows a passage marked gracieux before the resumption of the starting theme and a coda where E flat major alternates with E flat minor.
Rondeau à la française - Finale which, inspired by a negro spiritual drawn from a sailor's song, the rhythm of Brazilian matchiche and the French-cancan adopts a very casual and popular tone. F-sharp minor.
The first, reminiscent of various Rachmaninoff themes, meanders here and there, never quite making up its mind; there are subdued hints of the approaching Poulenc opera Dialogues of the Carmelites. The Andante con moto acquires a certain airy repose after its tender and sad start. In the last movement, in hopes of appealing to American audiences, Poulenc incorporates the tune of Stephen Foster's Swanee River (some listeners alternatively believe that this section is in fact quoting the 15th century French song A la claire fontaine); Poulenc also incorporates various Brazilian Maxixe rhythms.

[@JeremyRobson]

Got to love that opening melody, it sounds like it belongs in a Tim Burton film.

[@classicalricky]

Yeah, I could def see Danny elfman writing this

[@valerieheinderyckx4506]

J'adore Poulenc et notamment cette oeuvre superbe dans cette interprétation. Merci donc. ❤

[@Nooticus]

What a stunning concerto! As a huge Poulenc fan I have actually never heard this one before. It's so tonal and lovely and whimsical and romantic! Thanks Bartje

[@Silviola824]

I like the end of the video where Poulenc puts his hat on your channel picture

[@cywiringwlad]

There's some quality that flares up in this work that brings to mind 1960's cinema.

[@wallacechoi7610]

Ohhhhhhh I found it!!! This is the best version I'vd heard. Thank you.

[@vicb4901]

With post-it notes of Shostakovich and Szymanowski, Poulenc wrote a very French as well as twentieth centurial chef-d'œuvre where less has become more...

[@vickyobrist8225]

Genial. Merci!!

[@donaldauguston9740]

I absolutely loved this. Thank you for posting. DA

[@Mezzotenor]

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU...! This recording is vastly superior to the one accompanying the earlier upload of the full score. When this recording conducted by James Conlon came out, the initial muscularity of the faster section of the 2nd movement (12:39, rehearsal 4) was something of a surprise, though the winds ARE marked fortissimo. François-René Duchâble's solo part may be a tad chaste in a couple spots, but he's impeccably clear and admirably coordinated in a concerto that emphasizes the keyboard's role in the ensemble. Falla's Nights in the Gardens of Spain and D'Indy's Symphony on a French Mountain Air come to mind in that regard, and I unreservedly love all three works.

[@fransmeersman2334]

A great performance of Poulenc's magnificent piano concerto with unforgettable and memorable melodies. Thanks !

[@williamdeng1870]

A beautiful piece of music. From the first movement, one can feel that the composer is using his own musical vocabulary to vividly describe different scenes and characters, and all of this seems to be based on a famous musical work, especially the first subject of the exposition.

[@notaire2]

Wunderschöne und dynamische Interpretation dieses einzigartigen doch perfekt komponierten Konzerts mit klar artikuliertem doch warmherzigem Klang des technisch fehlerlosen Soloklaviers sowie farbenreichen doch perfekt entsprechenden Tönen der anderen Instrumente. Der zweite Satz klingt besonders schön und echt bezaubernd. Im Kontrast klingt der dritte Satz echt lebhaft und auch beweglich. Der intelligente und geniale Dirigent leitet das hoch funktionelle Orchester im verändelichen Tempo und mit möglichst effektiver Dynamik. Einfach faszinierend!

[@Yipee566]

Every Poulenc piece ever (my opinion)
Starts with a tonic melody
Then develops a macabre
Back to the tonic melody

[@dessiner5351]

♥

[@AKsr.2007]

Amazingly good.

[@janhoppezak9731]

and all in one head!!!

[@SpencerMusicSchool]

One of my favorite concerti to perform. I adore Poulenc. There is a posh elegance and harking back to Mozart classicism that makes it very iconic, Parisian and blending 20th century cabaret/jazz pop harmonies with classical form. It is a work that fits my aesthetic as not only a concert pianist but as a gay man. I always love to quote Horowitz .. there are 3 types of pianists "GAY, JEWISH or bad" LOL> Poulenc is the epitome of elegance, style, sophistication and French nationalism. Romantic, dreamy, sensual, and deceptively difficult to play because like Mozart the piano is so exposed. You hear every mistake compared to Rach 3 where the textures are so thick .. no one notices. This is a beautiful interpretation. Duchable brings a lot subtle nuances that are not heard in other performances.

[@johannesbowman5327]

6:48 = 2 horns + 2 trombones = 👍

[@AurumFlavius]

What a jewel
Such optimistic, colofrul and skillful score. And very beautiful. i'd said we better have such pieces now than meaningless and ugle contemporary atonalic rubbish

[@Cubeinthesky]

is this his manuscript?