Born
January 7, 1899
Died
January 30, 1963
Country
France
Born in Paris, France, in 1899, Francis Poulenc was a composer noted for music that is witty, crystal clear, and tuneful.
His mother, a talented amateur pianist, was his first piano teacher. Poulenc’s involvement with music was as an amateur for some years. At age 18, Poulenc had his first major success as a composer with Rapsodie Nègre for baritone and chamber ensemble. He had had no composition lessons tothis point and, despite some study later, he remained largely self-taught.
While in the French National Service in 1918, Poulenc composed a number of miniature pieces. Among them was a short work for piano, Trois Mouvements Perpétuels, played for the first time in public in 1919, which became popular throughout Europe.
In the 1920s, he was part of a group of five other young French composers nicknamed “Les Six.” They followed the artistic leanings of Satie and Cocteau, rebelling against the Germanic tradition in music.
Poulenc wrote in almost every medium. His piano works included short pieces as well as concertos for one and two pianos and orchestra. Among his choral works are Un Soir de Neige and a Stabat Mater. His theater works include several ballets: a one-character, one-act tragedy, La Voix Humaine as well as the religious opera, Les Dialogues des Carmelites.
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Video
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You might see some of these instruments when you come to the Kennedy Center, watch a performance by your school band, or at any other concert you attend! Click the slides to learn more about some of the most frequently spotted instruments in each family.
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Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Bank of America; Capital One; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Carnegie Corporation of New York; The Ednah Root Foundation; Genesis Inspiration Foundation; Harman Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The Kiplinger Foundation; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; The Markow Totevy Foundation; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives;
Prince Charitable Trusts; Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; Jackie Washington; GRoW @ Annenberg and Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family; and generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts..
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