List of compositions by Francis Poulenc


This is a list of works written by the French composer Francis Poulenc.
As a pianist, Poulenc composed many pieces for his own instrument in his piano music and chamber music. He wrote works for orchestra including several concertos, also three operas, two ballets, incidental music for plays and film music. He composed songs, often on texts by contemporary authors. His religious music includes the Mass in G major, the Stabat Mater and Gloria.

Overview

The composer had written a catalogue of his works in 1921, which is reproduced in Schmidt's book. According to this list, the first noted piece was in 1914 Processional pour la crémation d'un mandarin for piano, now lost or destroyed. Poulenc completed his last work, his Oboe Sonata, in 1962.
Piano, chamber music and songs
As a professional pianist, Poulenc wrote many pieces for his own instrument. He was a prolific writer of works of chamber music, often with piano, and some works for two pianos. Poulenc composed many songs, most of them accompanied by piano, but some also in versions with a small instrumental ensembles, for example his Rapsodie nègre for baritone, flute, clarinet, string quartet and piano. He composed easily for woodwind instruments, scoring for example a piano trio with oboe and bassoon instead of the traditional violin and cello. Poulenc was less familiar with string instruments. The cellist Pierre Fournier helped him to write the Cello Sonata, which he premiered with the composer as the pianist. Poulenc destroyed all sketches for string quartets and three for violin sonatas, while only the fourth one survived, but was received critically.
Orchestra and stage
Among his works with orchestra are three operas, two ballet, incidental music for plays, film music and concertos, some with unusual solo instruments such as harpsichord and organ. The harpsichordist Wanda Landowska inspired the composition of the Concert champêtre.
Collaboration in the group Les Six
Poulenc was a member of the group of composers Les Six, with Georges Auric, Louis Durey, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud and Germaine Tailleferre, and contributed to their collective productions, which included another ballet.
Sacred music and choral music
Poulenc turned to writing also religious music in the 1930s, composing a Mass in G major for a cappella choir. He composed the Stabat Mater in 1950 in memory of the painter Christian Bérard in 1950. The late Gloria for soprano, choir and orchestra became one of his best-known works. He drew inspiration for his sacred compositions mostly from liturgical texts.
Songs
For his songs and song cycles, he often collaborated with contemporary poets, setting poems by writers such as Guillaume Apollinaire, Louis Aragon, Paul Éluard, Max Jacob, Federico García Lorca, and Louise de Vilmorin, whom he mentioned in titles. He further set poems by Louis Aragon, Théodore de Banville, Maurice Carême, Colette, Robert Desnos, Maurice Fombeure, Marie Laurencin, Madeleine Ley, François de Malherbe, Ronsard, Jean Moréas, Jean Nohain and Paul Valéry, among others. In 1943, during the occupation of France, a cantata Figure humaine on poems by Éluard which celebrate Liberté.

List of works by FP number

The Music of Francis Poulenc : A Catalogue, abbreviated FP, is a chronological catalogue of Francis Poulenc's works which was published by Carl B. Schmidt in 1995. Schmidt provides for each known composition, which includes unfinished, unpublished and lost works, a detailed history of composition and performance, and lists manuscripts and publications.
In the table, the works are initially listed by the FP number. Other information given is the French title, a translation if commonly used, the key, the scoring if not clear from the title, the year of composition, the genre, text information, notes and a free score when available, and the page number in the catalogue. Abbreviations used are "rev." for "revised", "orch." for "orchestration", arr. for "arrangement" and "sc." for "score".
In Genre, instrumental pieces are distinguished as orchestral and chamber music, particularly that for piano. The group of stage works contains operas, ballets and incidental music, while film scores are marked separately. Sacred and secular music for voice is divided in choral, for cantatas and motets, and vocal, holding songs and song cycles.
FPYearTitleGenreScoringTextNotes
11914Processional pour la crémation d'un mandarinpianodestroyed or lost
21916Préludespianodestroyed
31917,
Rapsodie nègrevocalMakoko Kangourou
41917Scherzo for two pianos Zèbrepianodestroyed or lost
51918Trois Pastoralespiano
61918Poème sénégalaisvocaldestroyed or lost
71919Sonata for two clarinetschamberdedicated to Édouard Souberbielle ·
7b1925Sonatapianopiano version of FP 7
81918,
Sonata for piano 4 handspianodedicated to Simone Tilliard ·
91918Prélude-Percussiongenrepercussiondestroyed or lost
101918Le Jongleurpianodestroyed or lost
111918,
Toréador chanson hispano-italiennevocalJean Cocteau
121918Violin Sonatachamberdestroyed or lost
131918Sonata for piano triochamberdestroyed or lost
14a1918,
Trois mouvements perpétuelspiano · p. 32
14b1925,
Trois mouvements perpétuelschamberarr. of FP 14a
15a1919Le Bestiaire vocalGuillaume Apollinaire
15b1922Le Bestiaire vocalarr. of FP 15a
16a1919Cocardes vocalCocteaudedicated to Auric ·
16b1939Cocardesvocalarr. of FP 16a
17a1919Valse in Cpianopart of L'Album des Six ·
17b1932Valse in Corchestralorch. of FP 17a
181919Quadrille for piano 4 handspianolost or destroyed
191920,
Piano Suitepiano
20a1920-1Le Gendarme incomprisstage Cocteau and Raymond Radiguetlyric comedy in one act
20b1921Le Gendarme incompris chamber
211920-15 Impromptuspiano
221921Quatre poèmes de Max Jacob vocalMax Jacobdedicated to Darius Milhaud
23/11921La baigneuse de Trouville stage orchestrapart of the collaborative Les mariés de la tour Eiffel, ballet by Cocteau
23/21921Le discours du Générastage orchestrapart of the collaborative Les mariés de la tour Eiffel, ballet by Cocteau
241921,
Promenadespiano
251921Esquisse pour une fanfareorchestral, overture for Act V of Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
2619213 Etudes for pianolapianolost or destroyed
271921Première suite d'orchestreorchestrallost or destroyed
281921String Quartet no. 1chamberlost or destroyed
291921Trio for piano, clarinet and cellochamberlost or destroyed
301921Military marches for piano and orchestraorchestrallost or destroyed
311922Chanson à boirechoralmen's choiranonymous texts of the 17th century, English by J.V. Hugo
32a1922Sonata for clarinet and bassoonchamber
32b1945Sonatapianopiano version of FP 32a
33a1922Sonata for horn, trumpet and trombonechamber
33b1945Sonatapianopiano version of FP 33a
341922Caprice espagnolpianolost or destroyed
351923La colombestage recitatives for Charles Gounod's opera
361922Les bichesstage
36b1939-40Les biches orchestralfrom FP 36a
36c1923Les biches orchestralfrom FP 36
371923Clarinet Quintetchamberlost or destroyed
38a1924-5Poèmes de Pierre Ronsard vocalPierre Ronsard
38b1924-5Poèmes de Pierre Ronsardvocalorch. of 38a
391924-5Violin Sonata No. 2chamberlost or destroyed
401922-5Napolipiano
411925Dorfmusikanten-Sextett von Mozartlost or destroyed
421925Chansons gaillardes vocal
431926Trio for oboe, bassoon and pianochamber
441927Vocalisevocal
45a1927Pastourellestage part of the collaborative L'Éventail de Jeanne by ten composers
45b1927Pastourellepianopiano version of FP 45a,
461927-8Airs chantés vocalJean Moréas
471927-8,
Novelettespiano
481928,
3 Piecespiano
491927-9Concert champêtreorchestral
50a1929'Pièce brève sur le nom d'Albert Rousselpiano3 of the collaborative Hommage à Roussel published in addition to the Revue musicale
50b1949Pièce brève sur le nom d'Albert Rousselorchestralorch. of FP 50a
51a1929Aubade, concerto chorégraphiquestage
51b1929Aubadepianopiano version of FP 51a
521929Fanfarelost or destroyed
531929Valsepianolost or destroyed
541929Violin Sonata No. 3chamberlost or destroyed
551930ÉpitaphevocalFrançois de Malherbe
561929-308 Nocturnespiano
571931Trois poèmes de Louise Lalanne vocalLouise Lalanne
581931Quatre poèmes de Guillaume Apollinaire vocalApollinaire
591931Cinq poèmes de Max Jacob vocalJacob
601932Le Bal masquévocalJacobcomposed for Marie-Laure and Charles de Noailles ·
60.I1932Capricepianopiano version of Final from FP 60
60.II1932Intermèdepianofrom FP 60.I
60.III1932Bagatellechamberexcerpts from FP 60.I
611932Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestraorchestral
621932Valse-improvisation sur le nom de BACHpiano3 of the collaborative Hommage à J. S. Bach,
631932-410 Improvisationspiano
641933Intermezzostage incidental music for Jean Giraudoux's play
651933Villageoises 6 petites pièces enfantinespiano
661932PierrotvocalThéodore de Banville
671932Petruslost or destroyed
681933Feuillets d’albumpiano
691934Huit chansons polonaises vocalanonymous in French and Polish
701934Presto in B majorpianodedicated to Vladimir Horowitz ·
7119342 Intermezzipiano
721934Humoresquepiano
731934Badinagepiano
741934Villanellechamberdedicated to Louise Hanson-Dyer
751934-5Quatre chansons pour enfants vocalJean Nohain
761936La Belle au bois dormantfilmmusic for the commercial film by Alexandre Alexeieff
771935Cinq poèmes de Paul Éluard vocalPaul Éluard
781935La Reine Margotstage )incidental music for Édouard Bourdet's play, in collaboration with Auric
79a1935À sa guitarevocalRonsardafter FP 78 ·
79b1935À sa guitarevocalorch. of 79a
80a1935Suite française d'après Claude Gervaisechamber
80b1935Suite françaisepianopiano version of Fp80a
811936Sept Chansons choralchoir1 & 6: Apollinaire; 2-5 & 7: Éluard
82a1936Litanies à la Vierge Noire Notre-Dame de Rocamadourchoral
82b1947Litanies à la Vierge Noirechoralorch. of FP 82a
831936Petites Voix choral3-part women's choirMadeleine Ley
841930-6Soirées de Nazellespiano
851936Plains-chants de Cocteauvocallost or destroyed
861936-7Tel jour telle nuit vocalÉluard
871937Bourrée, au pavillon d’Auvergnepianopart of the collaborative À l’exposition, 1937 ·
881937Deux marches et un intermèdeorchestral
891937Mass in G majorchoral · p. 288
901937SécheresseschoralEdward James
911937Trois poèmes de Louise de Vilmorin vocalLouise de Vilmorin
921938Le PortraitvocalColette
931934-8Organ Concertoorchestral
941938Deux poèmes de Guillaume Apollinaire vocalApollinaire
951938Priez pour paixvocalCharles d'Orléans
961938La GrenouillèrevocalApollinaire
971938-9Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence choralmixed choir ·
981938-9Miroirs brûlants vocalÉluard ·
991939Ce doux petit visagevocalÉluard
1001932,
Sextetchamber
1011939Fiançailles pour rire vocalVilmorin
1021939BleuetvocalApollinaire
1031939Françaisepiano
1041939Deux préludes posthumes et une gnossienneorchestralchamber orchestraorch. of pieces by Erik Satie
1051940Mélancoliepiano
1061940Léocadiastage incidental music for Jean Anouilh's play · lost but for FP 106-Ia
106-Ia1940Les Chemins de l'amourvocalJean Anouilhsung waltz from FP 106 ·
106-Ib1940Les Chemins de l'amourvocalorch. of FP 106-Ia
1071940Banalités vocalApollinaire
1081940ColloquevocalPaul Valéry
1091941Exultate Deochoral4-part choir
1101941Salve Reginachoral4-part choir
111a1940-1Les Animaux modèlesstage
111b1942Les Animaux modèles orchestralsix movements from FP 111a
1121941La Fille du jardinierstage incidental music for Charles Exbrayat's play
11319412 Improvisationspiano
1141941Un joueur de flûte berce les ruineschamberfluteunpublished
1151941String Triochamberlost or destroyed
1161942La Duchesse de Langeaisfilmmusic for the film by Jacques de Baroncelli, adapted from Honoré de Balzac's novel by Jean Giraudoux
117a1942Chansons villageoises vocalMaurice Fombeure
117b1942Chansons villageoisesvocalorch. of FP 117a
11819433 Intermezzipiano
1191942-3,
Violin Sonatachamber ·
1201943Figure humaine choral12-part choirÉluard
1211943Métamorphoses vocalVilmorin
1221943Deux poèmes de Louis Aragon vocalLouis Aragon
1231943Le Voyageur sans bagagefilmmusic for the film by Jean Anouilh
1241944La Nuit de la Saint-Jeanstage incidental music for the play by J. M. Barrie
1251944Les Mamelles de Tirésiasstage Apollinaire
1261944Un soir de neige choral4-6-part mixed choirÉluard
127-11941-5MontparnassevocalApollinaire
127-21945Hyde ParkvocalApollinaire
1281945Le Soldat et la Sorcièrestage incidental music for the play by Armand Salacrou
1291940-5L'Histoire de Babar, le petit éléphantvocalJean de Brunhofforch. by Jean Françaix,
1301945Huit chansons françaises choral
1311946Deux mélodies sur des poèmes de Guillaume Apollinaire vocalApollinaire
1321946Paul et VirginievocalRaymond Radiguet
1331946String Quartet no. 2chamberlost or destroyed
1341947Le DisparuvocalRobert Desnos
1351947Main dominée par le cœurvocalÉluard
1361947Trois chansons de Federico García Lorca vocalFederico García Lorca
1371947Mais mourirvocalÉluard
1381947L'Invitation au châteaustage incidental music for Jean Anouilh's play
1391947Amphitryonstage incidental music for Molière's 1668 play for the compagnie Renaud-Barrault at the théâtre Marigny
1401948Calligrammes vocalApollinaire
1411947Sinfoniettaorchestral
1421948Quatre petites prières de saint François d’Assise choral4-part men's choirFrancis of Assisi
1431940-8,
Cello Sonatachamber ·
1441947HymnevocalJean Racine
1451949Les Bijoux de poitrine, mazurkavocalVilmorinpart of the collaborative song cycle Les Mouvements du cœur in memory of Frédéric Chopin, with Darius Milhaud, Henri Sauguet, Auric, Jean Françaix and Léon Preger, premiered by bass Doda Conrad
1461949Piano Concertoorchestral
1471950La Fraîcheur et le Feu vocalÉluard
1481950-1Stabat Materchoral
1491951Le Voyage en Amériquepiano2 pianosmusic for the film by Henri Lavorel
1501951L'Embarquement pour CythèrepianoValse musette after [|FP 149] ·
1511951Thème variépiano
1521951-2Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël choral4-part choir ·
1531952Matelote provençaleorchestralpart of the colleborative La guirlande de Campra
1541952Ave verum corpuschoral3-part women's chorus
1551952Capricciopiano2 pianosafter Le Bal masqué FP 60, dedicated to Samuel Barber
1561953Sonate for two pianospiano
1571954Parisiana vocalJacob
1581954RosemondevocalApollinaire
1591956Dialogues of the Carmelitesstage Georges Bernanos
1601954Bucoliqueorchestralpart of the collaborative Variations sur le nom de Marguerite Long
1611956Le Travail du peintre vocalÉluard
1621956Two mélodies vocal1: Apollinaire, 2: Laurence de Beylié
1631956Dernier PoèmevocalDesnos
1641956-7Flute Sonatachamber
1651957Ave Marialost or destroyed
1661957Bassoon Sonatachamberlost or destroyed
1671956Vive Nadiavocalhomage to Nadia Boulanger
1681956chamberhomage to Dennis Brain
1691956Une chanson de porcelainevocalÉluard
1701958Improvisation 13–14piano
1711958La voix humainestage Cocteau
1721957-9Laudes de saint Antoine de Padoue choral3-part men's choir
1731958-9Novelettepiano
1741959Fancyvocalafter Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
1751959Elegy for 2 pianospianohomage to Marguerite de Polignac ·
1761959Improvisation 15pianohomage to Édith Piaf ·
1771959Gloriachoral
1781960La Courte Paille vocalMaurice Carême
1791960Sarabande for guitarchamberdedicated to Ida Presti ·
1801961La Dame de Monte-CarlovocalCocteau
1811961Sept répons des ténèbreschoral
1821961Nos souvenirs qui chantentvocalTatry
1831962Renaud et Armidestage incidental music for Cocteau's 1943 play
1841962Clarinet Sonatachamber
1851962Oboe Sonatachamber
??1950Ce siècle a cinquante ans''filmorchestramusic for the documentary directed by Denise Batcheff, Roland Tual and, composed in collaboration with Auric, Henri Sauguet and Jean Wiener

List of works by genre

Stage works

Ballet

Solo piano

Piano four hands