Francis Poulenc

This setting of the opening to Psalm 102 was composed in the early 1680s. Purcell who was in his early twenties had succeeded John Blow as organist of Westminster Abbey around the beginning of the decade and his star was in the ascendant as a court composer.In this piece he pulls off a remarkable compositional coup: a single gradual climax lasting over two minutes and culminating on the final repetition of the word 'come' is achieved through a sublime freely developing eight-part weave of the opening material. The harmonies that result from the chromatic inflections on the word 'crying' all serve the mounting tension in this extraordinary miniature.Studyof the autograph manuscript suggest that this anthem was intended to be the opening part of a larger work which was never completed.

pour 2 sopranos, alto, ténor & basse extrait n° 3 des « Chansons françaises »

Miniature score edition of Poulenc's Sextuor (Sextet) scored for Piano Flute Oboe Clarinet Bassoon and Horn.

Choeur Seul. Par POULENC FRANCIS. The Litanies a la Viergne Noire signaled a new phase in Poulenc’s career, one marked by religious choral works of a mysterious, ethereal, and often extremely moving nature. Not surprisingly this was influenced by personal losses in his life. A beautiful work for female (SSA) voices, which features a modal, chant-like style, which avoids conventional cadences. Available here is the chorus part./ Répertoire / Choeur

The Latin text of the Gloria is a magnificent hymn of praise which dates from the earliest centuries of the church. French composer Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) has set these words to music in a rich incandescent manner whichseems to portray a cosmic dance before the throne of heaven itself. These two excerpts from the complete piano/vocal score mark the first time separate octavos from the Gloria have been made available. Translations for study areincluded.