POULENC, FRANCIS. (1899-1963). French composer and pianist. Signed score. (“Fr. Poulenc”). 20pp. Folio. N.p., 1946. The printed score of his Huit chansons polonaises (Paris: Chez Rouart, Leroille & Cie, 1934), faintly inscribed in the upper right corner of the first page of music. Following the printed words “Huit chansons polonaises” Poulenc has written “et mille affections de [printed] Francis Poulenc [written] pour l’ami Frevent [?] Fr. Poulenc / 46.”
A member of the group of French composers known as Les Six, Poulenc’s best-known work, the ballet Les Biches, was written in 1923 for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. The surrealistic and mildly erotic ballet, with choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky, catapulted Poulenc to success. “Perhaps more than any other French composer of his generation, Francis Poulenc… made a lasting contribution to the standing concert repertory, especially with regard to songs, choral works, operas, and piano works… [and his] professional life spanned two world wars and two continents,” (Notes, “Review of Francis Poulenc, ‘Echo and Source’: Selected Correspondence, 1915-1963,” Heyman).
During the early 1930s, Poulenc composed numerous songs and song cycles, including, from January to April 1934, Huit Chansons Polonaises, portions of which were first performed in Paris in November 1934 by the singer Maria Modrakowska whose commentary is printed on the verso of the title page.
Inscription is considerably faded; the score itself is in very fine condition.
