I had difficulty accessing my website this morning, from whence I’ve been sending my posts of late. So I’ll save what I wrote for tomorrow, perhaps, lest nobody see it. In its place, here’s a quick acknowledgment of Francis Poulenc’s birthday, by way of a photo of the composer, flanked by tenor Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten.
Britten and Poulenc were friends and knew one another quite well. I read a charming anecdote somewhere that Britten and Pears were present at a recording session of Pierre Bernac singing Poulenc’s songs, and that Britten himself turned the pages – but now I can’t remember where I read it!
Britten did turn pages for Bernac and Poulenc at the Aldeburgh Festival in 1948, when they performed “Le Bestiaire.” The recording at the link was made in London in 1945.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF0wjmzAZeo
Happy birthday, Francis Poulenc!
Poulenc and Britten/Britain
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5 responses to “Poulenc and Britten/Britain”
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It is important to note that unlike Pears and Britten, Poulenc and M. Pierre Bernac were professional and not personal partners. To call Britten and Poulenc friends is a stretch: Poulenc knew that Britten was important to his own career in Britain. Poulenc was so bored at the French premiere of “Billy Budd” that he left after the first act.
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Byron Adams I apologize if there was any ambiguity! I tweaked the wording in one of the sentences and took out the word “couple,” which I realize now could be misconstrued. Thanks.
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Classic Ross Amico: Oh, I was glad you mentioned Poulenc!
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Byron Adams Re: Poulenc and “Billy Budd” — if I have to sit through “Albert Herring” again (having seen it TWICE), you will find me a grave man!
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Classic Ross Amico: The least amusing “comic” opera ever created and it would not be produced at all if it were not by Britten. Not a single tune in the entire score. I have seen it twice and my flesh was crawling by the end. Interestingly, I recall reading about Poulenc’s aversion to “Billy Budd”—an aversion I share and for the same reason as Poulenc—in Graham Johnson’s wonderful book on Poulenc and his songs. Graham Johnson writes like a dream, has true musical discernment, and the chapter on Poulenc and Britten is incredibly insightful. Highly recommended.
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