VA - Francis Poulenc: Complete Chamber Music (2022)

Tracklist:

Vol. 1
1. Sextet for Wind Quintet & Piano, FP 100: I. Allegro vivace: Tres vite et emporte (7:47)
2. Sextet for Wind Quintet & Piano, FP 100: II. Divertissement: Andantino (4:14)
3. Sextet for Wind Quintet & Piano, FP 100: III. Finale. Prestissimo (5:30)
4. Oboe Sonata, FP 185: I. Élégie. Paisiblement (5:06)
5. Oboe Sonata, FP 185: II. Scherzo. Très animé (4:01)
6. Oboe Sonata, FP 185: III. Déploration: Très calme (4:43)
7. Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano, FP 43: I. Presto: Lent-presto (5:28)
8. Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano, FP 43: II. Andante: Andante con moto (3:48)
9. Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano, FP 43: III. Rondo. Tres vif (3:21)
10. Flute Sonata, FP 164: Allegro malinconico (4:30)
11. Flute Sonata, FP 164: Cantilena: Assez lent (3:49)
12. Flute Sonata, FP 164: III. Presto giocoso (3:33)
13. Villanelle (1:35)

Vol. 2
1. Violin Sonata, FP 119: Allegro con fuoco (6:36)
2. Violin Sonata, FP 119: Intermezzo. Tres lent et calme (5:49)
3. Violin Sonata, FP 119: Presto tragico (6:04)
4. Bagatelle in D Minor for Violin and Piano (2:19)
5. Clarinet Sonata, FP 184: Allegro tristemente: Allegretto - Tres calme - Tempo allegretto (5:17)
6. Clarinet Sonata, FP 184: Romanza. Tres calme (4:55)
7. Clarinet Sonata, FP 184: Allegro con fuoco: Tres anime (3:13)
8. Cello Sonata, FP 143: Allegro -Tempo di Marcia. Sans trainer (5:46)
9. Cello Sonata, FP 143: Cavatine: Tres calme (6:23)
10. Cello Sonata, FP 143: Ballabile: Tres anime et gai (3:21)
11. Cello Sonata, FP 143: Finale. Largo, tres librement - Presto subito (6:21)

Vol. 3
1. Caprice, FP 155: Capriccio d'apres Le bal masque for Two Pianos (4:45)
2. Sonata for 2 Pianos, FP 156: Prologue: Extremement lent et calme (5:39)
3. Sonata for 2 Pianos, FP 156: Allegro molto: Tres rythme (4:57)
4. Sonata for 2 Pianos, FP 156: Andante lyrico: Lentement (5:50)
5. Sonata for 2 Pianos, FP 156: Epilogue. Allegro giocosco (4:31)
6. Élégie for 2 Pianos, FP 175 (5:26)
7. L'embarquement pour Cythere (2:07)
8. Sonata for Piano 4 Hands, FP 8: Prelude. Modéré (2:05)
9. Sonata for Piano 4 Hands, FP 8: Rustique: Naif et lent (2:00)
10. Sonata for Piano 4 Hands, FP 8: Final. Tres vite (1:54)
11. Sonata for 2 Clarinets, FP 7: Presto (1:48)
12. Sonata for 2 Clarinets, FP 7: Andant: Tres lent (2:49)
13. Sonata for 2 Clarinets, FP 7: Vif: Vite, avec joie (1:58)
14. Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon, FP 32: Allegro: Tres rythme (1:40)
15. Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon, FP 32: Romance. Andante tres doux (2:59)
16. Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon, FP 32: Final. Tres Anime (2:54)
17. Sonata for Horn, Trumpet and Trombone, FP 33: Allegro moderato: Grazioso (4:04)
18. Sonata for Horn, Trumpet and Trombone, FP 33: Andante: Tres lent (3:15)
19. Sonata for Horn, Trumpet and Trombone, FP 33: Rondeau. Anime (1:43)

Vol. 4
1. Le bal masque, FP 60: Preambule et air de bravoure (4:23)
2. Le bal masque, FP 60: Intermede (2:31)
3. Le bal masque, FP 60: Malvina (2:15)
4. Le bal masque, FP 60: Bagatelle (2:16)
5. Le bal masque, FP 60: La Dame aveugle (2:19)
6. Le bal masque, FP 60: Finale (4:13)
7. Le bestiaire, FP 15a: Le Dromadaire (1:27)
8. Le bestiaire, FP 15a: La Chevre du Thibet (0:43)
9. Le bestiaire, FP 15a: La Sauterelle (0:21)
10. Le bestiaire, FP 15a: Le Dauphin (0:27)
11. Le bestiaire, FP 15a: L'Ecrevisse (0:38)
12. Le bestiaire, FP 15a: La Carpe (1:18)
13. 4 Poèmes de Max Jacob, FP 22: Est-il un coin plus solitaire (2:38)
14. 4 Poèmes de Max Jacob, FP 22: C'est pour aller au bal (1:05)
15. 4 Poèmes de Max Jacob, FP 22: Poete et tenor (2:21)
16. 4 Poèmes de Max Jacob, FP 22: Dans le buisson de Mimosa (0:56)
17. Rapsodie nègre, FP 3: Prelude (2:10)
18. Rapsodie nègre, FP 3: Ronde (1:20)
19. Rapsodie nègre, FP 3: Honoloulou - Vocal Interlude (2:19)
20. Rapsodie nègre, FP 3: Pastorale (2:21)
21. Rapsodie nègre, FP 3: Final (3:07)
22. Cocardes, FP 16: Miel de Narbonne (2:35)
23. Cocardes, FP 16: Bonne d'enfant (1:32)
24. Cocardes, FP 16: Enfant de troupe (2:21)
25. Elegie for Horn and Piano (9:36)
26. Sarabande (3:10)

Vol. 5
1. L'histoire de Babar, le petit elephant (The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant), FP 129 [Excerpt] (22:40)
2. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act I (1:35)
3. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act II - Valse brillante (1:47)
4. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act II - Mouvement de valse (1:32)
5. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act II - Valse des petites taupes (0:48)
6. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Valse Brillante (0:59)
7. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Tempo di Boston (0:58)
8. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Tango (1:19)
9. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Mouvement de Valse (0:45)
10. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Moderato (0:48)
11. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Appassionato (1:05)
12. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Tres vite et tres canaille (0:29)
13. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Tempo di tarantella (0:20)
14. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Polka finale (0:16)
15. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Presto (0:52)
16. L'invitation au château, FP 138, Act III - Follement vite et gai (0:50)
17. Leocadia, FP 106, Act I - Ouverture (1:28)
18. Leocadia, FP 106, Act II - Ouverture (0:47)
19. Leocadia, FP 106: Very Calm (1:12)
20. Leocadia, FP 106, Act III - Valse des chemins de l'amour (3:09)
21. Leocadia, FP 106, Act IV - Ouverture: Waltz (1:42)
22. Leocadia, FP 106: Very Calm (1:33)
23. Leocadia, FP 106, Act V - Ouverture (1:03)
24. Leocadia, FP 106: Andantino - Langoureux (1:25)
25. Leocadia, FP 106: Final (1:10)
26. Histoire de Babar, le petit éléphant, FP 129 (Englische Fassung) (23:04)

‘Francis Poulenc is music itself, I know no music more direct, more simply expressed nor which goes so unerringly to its target.’ This praise from Darius Milhaud can be applied to all of Poulenc’s music, but the chamber works represent a lifetime of working with virtuoso friends or following an urgent desire to compose, reflecting the essence of his instantly recognisable and deeply personal style. They range from Poulenc’s youthful creativity as a member of the Groupe des Six, via a rich seam of masterpieces, to the sonatas composed as his final works. Acclaim for these recordings can be summed up by the comment ‘you simply can’t go wrong with any of the discs in this series.’ (ClassicsToday.com on their original release)