20th century and todayFrancis Poulenc
Francis Poulenc was born in Paris into a rich family.
Francis Poulenc’s life
The big moments of this life, and what was happening in the world at the same time.
A life at a glance
- 1899👶 Birth
Born in Paris on 7 January; his father runs the Poulenc Frères company
- 1912🌍 Meanwhile
The Titanic sinks
- 1914📚 Trainingage 15
Piano lessons with Ricardo Viñes, friend of Debussy and Ravel
- 1917🎼 Workage 18
Rapsodie nègre, first success at 18
- 1920🎩 Careerage 21
A critic groups him with his friends as ‘Les Six’
- 1924🎼 Workage 25
Les Biches, ballet for the Ballets Russes
- 1927🌍 Meanwhile
First talking picture (The Jazz Singer)
- 1928🎼 Workage 29
Concert champêtre for the harpsichordist Wanda Landowska
- 1936❤️ Private lifeage 37
After a friend’s death, pilgrimage to Rocamadour: return to faith
- 1948🌍 Meanwhile
The long-playing record (LP) goes on sale
- 1957🌍 Meanwhile
Sputnik, the first artificial satellite
- 1963🕯️ Deathage 64
Dies in Paris on 30 January
Listen to the music
Press the big button to listen. Close your eyes: how does it make you feel?
Francis Poulenc’s music is still recent: it belongs to its creators and their families. Ask a grown-up to play it for you on the radio or at a concert!
Once upon a time…
Francis Poulenc was born in Paris into a rich family. His mum, a pianist, taught him music from the age of five. He loved the great composers as much as the songs of the streets of Paris.
With his friends he formed “Les Six”, who wanted simple, cheerful music full of humour, like at the circus or the music hall.
One day a little cousin found the music he was playing on the piano boring. She put a Babar book on the music stand and said: “Play this!” So Poulenc invented The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant, with a narrator telling the story.
He also wrote very serious music for church. People said he was “half monk, half rascal”.
Francis Poulenc’s instruments
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