Francis Poulenc
Born: 7th January 1899, Paris
Died: 30th January 1963, Paris
Nationality: French
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-known are the piano suite Trois mouvements perpétuels (1919), the ballet Les biches (1923), the Concert champêtre (1928) for harpsichord and orchestra, the Organ Concerto (1938), the opera Dialogues des Carmélites (1957), and the Gloria (1959) for soprano, choir, and orchestra.
As the only son of a prosperous manufacturer, Poulenc was expected to follow his father into the family firm, and he was not allowed to enrol at a conservatoire. He studied with the pianist Ricardo Viñes, who became his mentor after the composer's parents died.
Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Poulenc
Browse: Poulenc
Further Reading: Poulenc
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Presto Presents... Claire Booth and Christopher Glynn
9th Jul 2026
The soprano and pianist take us behind the scenes of their new album Cocteau's Music, out now on Orchid Classics and featuring Poulenc's La voix humaine alongside songs by Maurice Delage, Darius Milhaud, Georges Auric and others.
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Cocteau's Music from Claire Booth and Christopher Glynn
26th Jun 2026
The British soprano and pianist explore the extraordinary legacy of French poet, playwright and filmmaker Jean Cocteau, including songs by Milhaud, Honegger and Auric, and culminating in a visceral account of Poulenc's La Voix humaine.
Popular Genres: Poulenc
Chamber
Instrumental
Vocal
Choral
Concertos
Popular Works: Poulenc
- Banalités (44)
- Cello Sonata, Op. 143 (49)
- Clarinet Sonata, Op. 184 (103)
- Concert champêtre (23)
- Concerto in D minor for Two Pianos & Orchestra (50)
- Concerto in G minor for Organ, Strings & Timpani (58)
- Elégie for horn and piano, Op. 168 (22)
- Elégie for two pianos, FP175 (23)
- Exultate Deo (26)
- Fiançailles pour rire, FP101 (38)
- Flute Sonata, Op. 164 (109)
- Gloria (34)
- Hotel (23)
- L'Embarquement pour Cythère, for 2 pianos (24)
- L'histoire de Babar, le petit éléphant (26)
- La courte paille (28)
- Le Bestiaire ou Cortege d'Orphee (23)
- Les chemins de l'amour (87)
- Les Soirées de Nazelles (23)
- Litanies à la Vierge noire (36)
- Mass in G major (28)
- Mélancolie (33)
- Oboe Sonata, Op. 185 (50)
- Piano Concerto in C sharp minor, FP 146 (1949) (25)
- Presto in B flat major (28)
- Priez pour paix (23)
- Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël (50)
- Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence (29)
- Quatre petites prières de Saint François d'Assise (36)
- Salve Regina (50)
- Sarabande for solo guitar, Op. 179 (36)
- Sextet for piano and wind quintet, Op. 100 (45)
- Sonata for Piano Four Hands (à mademoiselle Simone Tilliard) (25)
- Sonata for Two Pianos (43)
- Stabat mater (23)
- Suite française (d'après Claude Gervaise), FP80 (37)
- Trio for piano, oboe and bassoon (56)
- Trois Mouvements perpétuels (52)
- Un soir de neige (33)
- Violin Sonata, FP 119 (81)
Recent Best Sellers: Poulenc
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Special offer. Francis Poulenc: Music For Two Pianos
Antony Gray, Rob Hao, Helen Miles, Alise Silina
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Gramophone Magazine, September 2026, Editor's Choice
CD: Original price $14.75 Reduced $12.53Download from $10.00 -
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Special offer. Camino | Federico Mompou, Maurice Ravel, Manuel de Falla, Erik Satie, Francis Poulenc
Sean Shibe (guitar)
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Presto Recording of the Week, 20th August 2021
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Gramophone Magazine, September 2021, Editor's Choice
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BBC Music Magazine, October 2021, Recording of the Month
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2021
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Gramophone Awards, 2022, Shortlisted - Instrumental
CD: Original price $18.50 Reduced $14.80Download from $10.00 -
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New. Contes
Sandrine Piau (soprano), David Kadouch (piano), Ophelie Gaillard (cello)
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BBC Music Magazine, October 2026, Vocal Choice
CD: Original price $20.25 Reduced $18.22Download from $9.25 -
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New. Mémoire
Alexandre Tharaud (piano)
CD: Original price $17.25 Reduced $16.04Download from $10.00
New Releases: Poulenc
View all new releases-
New. Mémoire
Alexandre Tharaud (piano)
CD: Original price $17.25 Reduced $16.04Download from $10.00 -
New. Pilgrimage
Harry Christophers, The Sixteen
Vinyl Record: $27.50 -
New. Bernard Haitink – Berlin, Vienna, Boston: Complete Recordings on Decca & Philips
Bernard Haitink
31 CDs: $203.75 -
New. The Secret Letter
Cantus
CD: $17.00Download from $10.00
Future Releases: Poulenc
View all future releases-
Coming soon. Softest Thunder
Toby Carr (lute)
CD: $26.00 -
Coming soon. Amour
Esther Abrami (violin), City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Irene Delgado-Jiménez
Download from $14.00 -
Coming soon. Christina Ortiz: The Complete Recordings On Warner Classics
Cristina Ortiz (piano)
11 CDs: $46.50 -
Coming soon. Poulenc: Organ Concerto
Adam Suk, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, Stanislav Vavřínek
Download from $5.50
