Poulenc: the charme of paradoxe

Roger Nichols is one of the most prominent experts of French music. His book on Ravel represents an essential item for the library of any lover of French composers, who is also interested in studying the time and place in which that extraordinary music was written.

I have always claimed that Ravel is one of the most formidable artisans of beauty, not only in French music, but in general music as well. If there is one successor in the lineage of making beauty in French music, then that composer would definitely have to be Francis Poulenc. 

Listening to Poulenc’s works constitute a fascinating endeavor. When I first experienced it, I took it as anachronic, just because its finesse didn’t belong to any of the abrasive and overly self-indulgent currents that took place throughout the twentieth century -especially at its beginning. 

This is one of the many contradictions that are shown in Nichols’ biography: extremes that often meet at the same time throughout the life of Poulenc. He was gregarious yet reserved, he looked for his colleagues' approval yet he wrote pieces that many considered too crowd-pleasing, he wanted to pay homage to Debussy and Ravel yet his music hardly resembles them.

Far from undermining Poulenc’s legacy, I believe each one of these paradoxes elevate it. Poulenc’s music sounds nothing like any other and his seemingly banal tunes, especially his songs, a genre in which he was a consummate master, end up being more complex and sophisticated as they manage to grow in you.

During the second third of the twentieth century, French music was at the verge of losing its allure and charm, but Francis Poulenc was able to save it from an imminent collapse, giving us true gems of art that we can always enjoy in case we are looking for beauty that was not made by Ravel nor Debussy.

This compelling book written by Nichols offers us the great treasure of telling us the mesmerizing story of a fascinating composer who wrote captivating music. Read it, listen to Poulenc’s music and allow yourself to be bathed by his unapologetically beautiful notes.