Poulenc plays Poulenc and Satie
Francis Poulenc (piano)
Jacques Février (2nd piano)
Orchestre National de la RTF/Georges Prêtre (Concerto)
Orchestre des concerts Straram/Walther Straram (Aubade)
rec. 1930-1962
SOMM Ariadne 5041 [80]
One of the raisons d’être of this album from SOMM is to mark the centenary of the death of Eric Satie. However, it’s even more a celebration of both the music and the pianism of Francis Poulenc. Nowadays, his reputation rests primarily on his compositions but this CD, containing performances ranging from quite early in his career to one captured just two months before his premature death, reminds us that he was no mean performer at the piano keyboard.
At the heart of the programme assembled by audio restorer Lani Spahr is a set of studio recordings which Poulenc made for CBS in New York on 10 and 11 February 1950 during an extensive concert tour of the USA with the great French baritone Pierre Bernac. In these sessions he set down some of his own solo piano pieces and a selection of items by Satie; looking at the respective timings, my guess is that the resultant LP had one side devoted to the works of each composer. Poulenc offers a nicely varied selection of his own pieces. The early three Mouvements perpétuels are quite slight in terms of length but they’re delightful and the composer offers sparkling playing, especially in the third piece, ‘Alerte’. The Nocturne in C major is the first of a set of eight such pieces which were composed between 1929 and 1938. The C major Nocturne is an enchanting, sophisticated offering and its composer does it really well. The Suite française is more familiar to me in the version for an ensemble of woodwinds, harpsichord and percussion; the seven short movements work well in the solo piano version. I enjoyed hearing Poulenc playing them; particularly appealing are his stately delivery of the ‘Pavane’, his elegance in ‘Bransle de Champagne’, and his expert weighting of ‘Sicilienne’.
Since this release partly marks the centenary of Satie’s death, it may sound ungrateful if I say that I find his music in general far less interesting than that of Poulenc. However, judging by these performances, Poulenc relished in particular the wit in Satie’s music – perhaps most of all on display in the three-movement Croquis et agaceries d’un gros bonhomme en bois (Sketches and Exasperations of a Big Wooden Man). Despite my reservations over Satie’s music, I will readily admit that I enjoyed these performances. In his notes, Robert Matthew-Walker singles out Poulenc’s account of Gymnopédie No. 1. He’s right to do so; Poulenc’s playing has an effortless grace which ideally conveys the music. The Sarabande No. 2 is suitably dark-toned in Poulenc’s hands, while he does full justice to the wistful melancholy of Gnossienne No. 3. Among the other pieces, I’d particularly draw attention to the pianist’s delicacy in ‘Idylle’, the first of the three Avant-dernières pensées (Penultimate thoughts). These solo piano recordings of music by Poulenc and Satie have come up very well on this CD.
The recording of the Concerto in D minor for two pianos and orchestra is of great interest. It was made on 1 December 1962 in the Maison de la Radio, Paris and we’re lucky to have it. I say that because just two months later Poulenc was dead, felled by a sudden heart attack on 30 January 1963. Aside from the composer’s own participation, there’s great value in this recording for a couple of other reasons. For one thing, Poulenc’s fellow pianist was his great friend Jacques Février. The concerto was commissioned by Princess Edmond de Polignac specifically to be premiered by Poulenc and Février at the International Festival of Contemporary Music, held in Venice in 1932. It’s wonderful that the two original soloists were reunited to make this recording. Further value is added by the presence on the podium of Georges Prêtre. He had come to Poulenc’s notice when he conducted the premiere of La Voix humaine with Dénise Duval in 1959; they recorded it in that same year. Poulenc was delighted by Prêtre’s direction of this important work. The conductor went on to lead the French premiere of the Gloria in 1961 and subsequently he recorded the work and also made the celebrated recording of the Organ Concerto with Maurice Duruflé. Prêtre’s championship of Poulenc’s music continued long after the composer’s death; as well as performances, he made a large number of fine recordings.
This account of the Concerto is very successful. The helter-skelter music in the first movement is full of vitality, though the calmer passages are just as convincing; the tranquil ending is ideally brought off. That tranquillity prepares very naturally for the central Larghetto. I love the graceful, Mozartian opening and even when the music becomes livelier, these performers retain elegance. They ensure that this movement is, as Robert Matthew-Walker says, the heart of the concerto. I love his phrase describing the finale – “the boulevardier on display”. All the brilliance and cheeky wit in Poulenc’s music comes across in this performance. Poulenc can’t resist a lovely, lyrical interlude, though – thank goodness – and this also comes off well. I really enjoyed this effervescent account of the concerto. The recorded sound is somewhat close, with the pianos well to the fore, and despite Lani Spahr’s best efforts, the sound is somewhat lacking in depth and body. But any sonic deficiencies are a small price to pay for the chance to experience this excellent and very authentic performance.
Arguably, the most valuable recording in this collection is that of the Aubade. Unlike the other recordings, this one comes from the ’78 era. This work was commissioned in 1928 as a ballet, a Concerto choréographique, for solo piano and an ensemble of 18 instruments. First performed in June 1929, it was immediately successful, both as a ballet and in its concert version (I think I’m right in saying that the scores are identical); so much so, that very quickly the French Columbia label organised a studio recording. This was made between 20 and 22 January, 1930 in the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris by Poulenc, accompanied by Walther Straram and members of his eponymous orchestra. Perhaps it helped the Columbia engineers that a fairly small ensemble was involved but even so it’s hard to believe that this recording was made ninety-five years ago! The performance is excellent in all respects. Poulenc’s playing in the opening ‘Toccata’ impresses with its brilliance; indeed, he’s on scintillating form throughout the piece. I admire the elegance which all the musicians bring to ‘Rondeau’ while the ‘Presto’ which follows is fleet and incisive. A little later, in the ‘Andante’, the inherent grace in the music is ideally conveyed. This is not only a fine performance but also a precious document, not least because I understand that Poulenc never recorded the work again. The performance oozes authenticity.
This is a marvellous compilation in every respect. The music is entirely delightful and we hear it all in really engaging, expert performances. Lani Spahr has restored all the recordings with his habitual expertise and musicality – chapeau in particular for the work he has done to bring Aubade so vividly to life. Finally, Robert Mathew-Walker’s booklet essay is a model of its kind. Merci, SOMM.
Contents
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Concerto in D Minor for 2 Pianos & Orchestra, FP 61 (1932)
Mouvements perpétuels, FP 14a (1919)
Nocturne in C Major, FP 56/1, from Huit Nocturnes (1929-1938)
Suite française, FP 80b (1935)
Erik Satie (1866-1925)
Descriptions automatiques
Gymnopédie No. 1 (1888)
Sarabande No. 2 (1887)
Gnossienne No. 3 (ca 1890)
Avant-dernières pensées (1915)
Croquis et agaceries d’un gros bonhomme en bois (1913)
Francis Poulenc
Aubade, FP 51a (1929)
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