Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction by Peter Dickinson
- Part I Reports from Paris, 1929–34
- Part II Letters to Nadia Boulanger, 1929–74
- Part III Selections from Berkeley's Later Writings and Talks, 1943–82
- 1 Britten and his String Quartet [no. 1] (1943)
- 2 Modern French Ballet Music (1946)
- 3 British Music Today (1949)
- 4 Britten's Spring Symphony (1950)
- 5 Poulenc's Piano Concerto (1950)
- 6 Mr Lennox Berkeley on the Composer's Need to Hear his own Works (1959)
- 7 Gabriel Fauré (1962)
- 8 The Sound of Words (1962)
- 9 Concert-going in 1963 (1962)
- 10 Britten's Characters (1963)
- 11 Francis Poulenc: Obituary (1963)
- 12 Truth in Music (1966)
- 13 Lennox Berkeley Describes his Setting of the Magnificat (1968)
- 14 Lili Boulanger (1968)
- 15 Last Week's Broadcast Music [I] (1969)
- 16 Last Week's Broadcast Music [II] (1969)
- 17 Charles Burney's Tour (1970)
- 18 Lennox Berkeley Writes about Alan Rawsthorne (1971)
- 19 On Criticism (1972)
- 20 Berkeley as Song-writer (1973)
- 21 Maurice Ravel (1978)
- 22 Stravinsky: A Centenary Tribute (1982)
- 23 Bid the World Good-Night (1981)
- Part IV Interviews with Berkeley, 1973–8
- Part V Extracts from Berkeley's Diaries, 1966–82
- Part VI Interviews with Performers, Composers, Family and Friends, 1990–91
- Part VII Memorial Address by Sir John Manduell
- Catalogue of Works
- Bibliography
- Index of Works by Berkeley
- General Index
5 - Poulenc's Piano Concerto (1950)
from Part III - Selections from Berkeley's Later Writings and Talks, 1943–82
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction by Peter Dickinson
- Part I Reports from Paris, 1929–34
- Part II Letters to Nadia Boulanger, 1929–74
- Part III Selections from Berkeley's Later Writings and Talks, 1943–82
- 1 Britten and his String Quartet [no. 1] (1943)
- 2 Modern French Ballet Music (1946)
- 3 British Music Today (1949)
- 4 Britten's Spring Symphony (1950)
- 5 Poulenc's Piano Concerto (1950)
- 6 Mr Lennox Berkeley on the Composer's Need to Hear his own Works (1959)
- 7 Gabriel Fauré (1962)
- 8 The Sound of Words (1962)
- 9 Concert-going in 1963 (1962)
- 10 Britten's Characters (1963)
- 11 Francis Poulenc: Obituary (1963)
- 12 Truth in Music (1966)
- 13 Lennox Berkeley Describes his Setting of the Magnificat (1968)
- 14 Lili Boulanger (1968)
- 15 Last Week's Broadcast Music [I] (1969)
- 16 Last Week's Broadcast Music [II] (1969)
- 17 Charles Burney's Tour (1970)
- 18 Lennox Berkeley Writes about Alan Rawsthorne (1971)
- 19 On Criticism (1972)
- 20 Berkeley as Song-writer (1973)
- 21 Maurice Ravel (1978)
- 22 Stravinsky: A Centenary Tribute (1982)
- 23 Bid the World Good-Night (1981)
- Part IV Interviews with Berkeley, 1973–8
- Part V Extracts from Berkeley's Diaries, 1966–82
- Part VI Interviews with Performers, Composers, Family and Friends, 1990–91
- Part VII Memorial Address by Sir John Manduell
- Catalogue of Works
- Bibliography
- Index of Works by Berkeley
- General Index
Summary
Programme note for the first performance in England, 8 November 1950, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Poulenc as soloist
In looking back over Francis Poulenc's output during the thirty years in which he has been writing, one is struck by two things: the intensely individual flavour of his music, and the way in which he has been almost completely unaffected by the various musical trends and fashions that have sprung up during that time. Indifferent to the frowns of those for whom an intellectual approach is all-important, he has gone his own way, developing those qualities that make him stand out so sharply from his contemporaries. His success may be said to be largely due to his understanding of the nature of his talent; he excels in the smaller forms – songs and piano pieces – into which he infuses a lyricism and human warmth for which one may look in vain in much contemporary music. He has therefore tended to avoid large works, and the list of his orchestral compositions is small in comparison with that of other composers of his standing. Nevertheless, he has shown himself capable of encompassing works on a large scale. Of these, perhaps the most important is the grave and moving cantata Figure humaine, while his orchestral works include the charming Aubade, the Concerto for two pianos and orchestra, the Concert champêtre for harpsichord and orchestra, and the more recent Sinfonietta.
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- Lennox Berkeley and FriendsWritings, Letters and Interviews, pp. 108 - 109Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2012