Proms Composer 1: Poulenc

[BBMmk2]

I’ve come to appreciate Poulenc’s music, more in my later years. I don’t know the reason, but just seemed to have worked out like this.

[Hitch]

Dangerous thread, this. It's just lightened my wallet by persuading me to buy the 20CD Erato/Warner box set. Whenever I've encountered Poulenc, he's been pleasing to the ear.

[Bryn]

Dangerous thread, this. It's just lightened my wallet by persuading me to buy the 20CD Erato/Warner box set. Whenever I've encountered Poulenc, he's been pleasing to the ear.

I did the same a little under 8 years ago, when it cost under £30. Sorry to say, I have since listened to very little from it. His work tends to be pleasant enough, but that is maybe my problem with it. I don't feel challenged by it.

[Pulcinella]

Following up entries in the index of Nichols' book on Poulenc (which arrived today) relating to Ernest Ansermet, I discovered that Ansermet conducted the premiere of Aubade, with Poulenc as the soloist, and also several performances of Stravinsky's Les Noces in which Poulenc was one of the pianists.
But, curiously, an internet search revealed no recordings of Poulenc's works with Ansermet conducting.
Does anyone know (or care to conjecture) why Poulenc might not have appealed to Ansermet?
Can there have been contractual/copyright issues?

[Historian]

Dangerous thread, this. It's just lightened my wallet by persuading me to buy the 20CD Erato/Warner box set. Whenever I've encountered Poulenc, he's been pleasing to the ear.

You're not the only one...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

We might consider anticipating Jeremy Sams by choosing our own 5 recordings of Poulenc.

[jch48]

A shout out for the Tenebrae disc 'figure humaine'. As an amateur choral singer I find the accuracy and stability of the dissonant chords amazing. Stunning writing.
My first exposure to Poulenc was the organ concerto, followed by the Gloria, flute and clarinet sonatas, Easter and Christmas motets, then random piano pieces and songs.

[gurnemanz]

Arleen Auger's "Love Songs" with Dalton Baldwin on piano is of my favourite discs (certainly a candidate for the Island). It is a recital of exquisitely rendered songs in various languages from diverse composers, including Poulenc's lovely setting of Louise de Vilmorin's poem of faded love - Fleurs. Recorded on Delos in 1988, it is no surprise that it is still in the catalogue.