The BBC commissioned Poulenc's "Sinfonietta" for the first anniversary of its Third Programme, requesting a 15-minute work for small orchestra.
Composition History
Poulenc composed "La Voix humaine" between February and June 1958, based on a text by Jean Cocteau originally written for actress Berthe Bovy.
Compositional Technique
Poulenc's "Sinfonietta" features a harp in its classical orchestra, a 'rather French touch' in the symphonic genre, and uses four recurring melodic elements to ensure unity across movements.
Notable Performances
The "Sinfonietta" premiered on October 24, 1948, in London, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Roger Désormière as part of the BBC's Third Programme.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Poulenc considered the construction of "La Voix humaine" to be the opposite of improvisation, aiming for a rigorously ordered score full of suspense due to the logical and human nature of Cocteau's text.
Composition History
The "Sinfonietta" originated from an abandoned string quartet by Poulenc, which he decided to reuse for an orchestral work after encouragement from his friend Georges Auric.
Compositional Technique
The vocal writing in "La Voix humaine" ranges from parlando to ample lyrical outbursts, with Poulenc stating he had never written anything more meticulous in this field.
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