The famous French baritone, Pierre Bernac, who performed with Poulenc himself at the piano, called ‘Hôtel’ from Banalités the laziest song ever written :
[audio:https://penelopeturner.com/wp-content/2008/09/hotel-by-francis-poulenc-live-recording-230408.mp3]Banalités is a collection of five poems by Guillaume Apollinaire, set to music by Francis Poulenc. Poulenc was a meticulous composer who remained intrinsically faithful to the poems he set. He met Apolliniare briefly just before the latter’s death and was inspired by the poet’s voice. Through his music he succeeds in expanding and intensifying the very different moods of each of the poems. For example, the indolence of ‘Hôtel’ is followed by the gust of wind that is ‘Fagnes de Wallonie’ :
[audio:https://penelopeturner.com/wp-content/2008/09/fagnes-de-wallonie-by-francis-poulenc-live-recording-230408.mp3]Click here for more clips.
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