Poulenc's Sonata for Two Clarinets was one of several works he began while serving in the army during World War I, far from the front line.
Poulenc composed the Élégie for Horn and Piano in memory of Dennis Brain, a horn player, beginning it the day after Brain's death in a car accident.
The Sonata for Two Pianos (1952) was written for American pianists Arthur Gold and Robert Fitzdale.
Francis Poulenc's chamber music was an "intermittent phenomenon" driven by either "inner necessity" or the inspiration of a specific performer.
Poulenc expressed a strong dislike for the sound of a "prima donna violin" over arpeggiated piano accompaniment, stating it made him "want to vomit."
Poulenc dedicated his Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano to Manuel de Falla, who was greatly delighted by the dedication.
Poulenc had a strong preference for wind instruments over strings from an early age, which is reflected in his early sonatas.
