Composer

:

Francis Poulenc

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1938

Average_duration

:

5:59

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

Deux poèmes de Guillaume Apollinaire, FP 94 is a song cycle composed by Francis Poulenc in 1938. The cycle consists of two songs, "Banalités" and "Hôtel," both of which are based on poems by the French poet Guillaume Apollinaire. The premiere of Deux poèmes de Guillaume Apollinaire took place on May 12, 1938, at the Salle Gaveau in Paris. The cycle was performed by the baritone Pierre Bernac, with Poulenc accompanying on the piano. The first song in the cycle, "Banalités," is a setting of five short poems by Apollinaire. The poems are characterized by their simplicity and directness, and Poulenc's music reflects this with its clear, unadorned melodies and spare accompaniment. The songs are marked by a sense of melancholy and nostalgia, with themes of lost love and the passing of time. The second song in the cycle, "Hôtel," is a longer and more complex work, based on a single poem by Apollinaire. The poem describes a chance encounter between two lovers in a hotel room, and Poulenc's music captures the sensuality and intimacy of the scene with its lush harmonies and expressive vocal lines. The song builds to a passionate climax before subsiding into a quiet, reflective coda. Overall, Deux poèmes de Guillaume Apollinaire is a masterful example of Poulenc's artistry as a composer of art songs. The cycle showcases his ability to capture the essence of a text through his music, and his skill in creating evocative and emotionally powerful musical settings.

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