Poulenc

Francis Poulenc (7 January 1899 – 30 January 1963) was a French composer and a leading figure among the group known as Les Six. His career spanned secular song, ballet, opera, and sacred choral music. Known for a bright, elegant melodic gift and a capacity to fuse wit with emotional depth, Poulenc's music often balanced apparent simplicity with modern harmonic language.

Born in Paris, he studied at the Conservatoire and soon became associated with the avant-garde circle that formed Les Six, though his style retained a strongly personal lyricism. His works range from light, Parisian cabaret-influenced pieces to serious sacred music. He wrote for piano, voice, instrument ensembles, and large forces, with a distinctive clarity of texture and contrapuntal control.

Notable works include the ballet suite Les Biches (1920s), the one-act opera Dialogues des Carmélites (1957), the monodrama La voix humaine (The Human Voice), and sacred choral/orchestral works such as the Gloria and the Stabat Mater. He also produced important song cycles, including Tel jour, telle nuit, and a number of mélodies that remain central to the French vocal repertoire. His Mass in G major is another landmark, combining ancient liturgical form with 20th-century idioms.

Poulenc's influence extends beyond his own genres, shaping postwar French music through a voice that could be both accessible and spiritually serious. He died in Paris in 1963, leaving a varied and enduring legacy.