Chansons gaillardes

The Chansons gaillardes (Ribald songs) FP 42, are a song cycle of eight pieces composed by Francis Poulenc in 1925–1926 "In euphoria and post-war"[1] on anonymous texts of the 17th century. The work was dedicated to Mme Fernand Allard.

Chansons gaillardes
Song cycle by Francis Poulenc
TranslationRibald songs
LibrettistAnonymous authors, 17th century
LanguageFrench
Premiere
2 May 1926 (1926-05-02)
Salle des Agricuteurs in Paris

This cycle was premiered in concert on 2 May 1926, salle des Agriculteurs[2][3] by Pierre Bernac, as a 26-year-old baritone virtually unknown,[1] and Francis Poulenc, 27 years old, as the pianist. It was the memory of this first collaboration that would bring together Poulenc and Bernac several years later for many international tours, from 1934 to 1959.

Composition of the cycle

The titles of the eight pieces, of which the tempi alternate quick and slow movements, are as follow:

  1. La Maîtresse volage – Rondement
  2. Chanson à boire – Adagio
  3. Madrigal – Très décidé
  4. Invocation aux Parques – Grave
  5. Couplets bachiques – Très animé
  6. L'Offrande – Modéré
  7. La Belle Jeunesse – Très animé
  8. Sérénade – Modéré

Analysis

Just out of the surrealist experience of Les Six, Poulenc dared to bring the bawdy songs into the concert halls. On the one hand, the text of Les Chansons gaillardes comes from anonymous texts of the seventeenth century, written in a tone of celebration and alcohol: "texts rather scabrous",[4] according to Francis Poulenc himself. On the other hand, in the Journal de mes mélodies, Poulenc explains about them: "I hold this collection dear where I tried to demonstrate that obscenity can accommodate music. I hate ribaldry".

Most texts imply a particular play on words, a lightness in the form of code. For example, in the Chanson à boire, the words celebrate "the kings of Egypt and Syria" because they "wanted their body to be embalmed, to last longer, dead", and conclude, Buvons donc selon notre envie ! [...] Embaumons-nous ! (Let's therefore drink according to our desire! [...] Let us embalm!")

References
  1. Guide de la mélodie et du lied, p. 497
  2. 8 rue d'Athènes in the 9th arrondissement of Paris,
  3. Correspondance 1910-1963, p. 269
  4. Correspondance 1910-1963, p. 266

Bibliography
  • 1964: Francis Poulenc, Journal de mes mélodies, éditions Grasset ; Reissued in 1993, a full text prepared and annotated by Renaud Machart, éditions Cicéro and Éditions Durand-Salabert-Eschig, Paris, 1993 ISBN 978-2908369106 ;
  • 2011: Francis Poulenc, J'écris ce qui me chante, Texts and interviews presented and annotated by Nicolas Southon, 2011, ISBN 9782213636702, 982 p. ;
  • 1994: Francis Poulenc, Correspondance 1910-1963, Collected, selected, presented and annotated by Myriam Chimènes, Fayard, ISBN 9782213030203, 1128 p.
  • 1994: Brigitte François-Sappey and Gilles Cantagrel (dir.), Guide de la mélodie et du lied, Fayard, ISBN 9782213592107, 918 p.
  • 1926: Chansons gaillardes, score published by par Heugel & Cie, (ISMN M-047-29356-5)
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