This recording is dedicated to Barbara Pollock, a friend of Tenebrae's director Nigel Short, whose support was crucial to the choir's existence.
Composition History
Poulenc abandoned a violin concerto to compose his choral cantata Figure Humaine (1943) after being captivated by Paul Éluard's poetry collection Poésie et Verité 42.
Historical Context
The poem 'Liberté' from Paul Éluard's collection Poésie et Verité 42, which Poulenc set in Figure Humaine, was dropped as leaflets over occupied France by the British Royal Air Force to boost morale.
Performer Biography
Tenebrae, founded by Nigel Short in 2001, aims to combine the passionate sound of large cathedral choirs with the precision of ensembles like The King's Singers.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Poulenc believed his choral music contained the "best and most genuine part" of himself, more so than his other works.
Composition History
Poulenc's Litanies á la Vierge Noire (1936) was inspired by a visit to the pilgrimage site of Rocamadour after the death of his friend, composer Pierre-Octave Ferroud.
Composer Biography
Francis Poulenc, now considered an important 20th-century choral composer, wrote only one choral piece before 1936.
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