Francis Poulenc (1899–1963)
Les Soirées de Nazelles, FP 84 (1930–36)
Thème varié, FP 151 (1951)
Napoli, FP 40 (1925)
Martin Jones (piano)
rec. 1972, Handsworth Wood, Birmingham, UK
Nimbus NI7117 [42]

I wrote about the fruitful sifting of the Nimbus archives in my review of their rediscovered Soulima Stravinsky disc and here’s another interesting find: a recital made in the early 1970s by Martin Jones. It’s an all-Poulenc affair, three contrasted works from different periods.

First comes Les Soirées de Nazelles. This is a set of eight variations framed by a Préambule and Final. In this performance Jones captures the in medias res feel of the Préambule brilliantly. We appear to be joining if not a heated conversation, then a pretty excitable one. That’s appropriate, because the variations (there is no theme) are effectively character studies remembered and transcribed by Poulenc from improvisations made at evenings with friends at a house in Nazelles. They make an entertainingly diverse collection, titled by character trait. Presumably the friend captured in ‘le contentement de soi’ was on less good terms with the composer than the one portrayed in ‘le charme enjôleur’, but in Jones’s hands the music one way or another all has that last characteristic of allurement. The Final is marked ‘Follement vite, mais très précis’. Jones is more than up to the ‘crazily fast’ marking, playing with a facility and flair which belies the difficulty of the score.

Thème varié is a considerably later work and is a true theme and variations. A more formally classical work than Les Soirées de Nazelles with a theme that could have come from Mendelssohn, the variations are a delightfully coloured set of miniatures which traverse a range of emotional states in a short space of time. Jones has the measure of the work’s essential mutability, and his mercurial, precise playing frames each variation perfectly. There’s also real depth in his account of Variation VII, Elégiaque, which feels like the emotional centre of the work, and a gorgeous, understated virtuosity in the sparkling Finale.

Napoli is a good choice to conclude the recital. It’s a picture postcard of three scenes from an Italian trip, lighthearted, winningly melodic and pleasurably atmospheric. Jones’s lovely singing line throughout is warming. I put it on and won a temporary reprieve from the incessant gales and rain outside for which I was grateful.

Another enjoyable rediscovery from Nimbus, then, in excellent recorded sound. The booklet notes consist of an interesting interview with Jones recalling his early years and details of his formidable, impressively wide discography. For some reason the individual movements in the first two pieces are not separately tracked but presented in clusters of two or three, which I thought odd.

Dominic Hartley

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