Francis Poulenc
1899 – 1963
Poulenc called himself 'half monk, half rascal.' His music swings from Parisian wit to profound devotion. Accessible, charming, and deeply moving by turns — unmistakably French.
Essential Listening
Gloria - Gloria in excelsis Deo
Exuberant, jazzy, and sacred all at once. Poulenc's Gloria is unlike any other — joyful and sincere.
Concerto for Two Pianos - First Movement
Gamelan-inspired and brilliantly witty. Two pianos in playful, percussive dialogue.
Dialogues des Carmélites - Final Scene
Nuns go to the guillotine singing. One of the most devastating scenes in all of opera.
Discover Poulenc in These Journeys
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