Gloria
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Although Francis Poulenc saw himself primarily as a composer of religious music, it was not until 1936 that he produced his first sacred work. His distinctive style relies principally on strong musical contrasts. The harmony moves between Stravinskian dissonance and lush, sensuous chord progressions; vigorous counterpoint in clipped, angular phrases alternates with lyrical melodic writing; dynamics frequently range from a hushed piano to an emphatic forte within the space of a bar or two.
The work is divided into six short movements. After a brief orchestral introduction to the first of these, the chorus enters with a jagged rhythm matching the word ‘Gloria’, which forms the basis of this movement. The animated second movement, ‘Laudamus Te’, reveals Poulenc in playful mood, with the chorus for the most part divided into pairs of voices - sopranos and tenors; altos and basses - exchanging a series of short, pithy phrases. In the expressive third section, ‘Domine Deus’, the soprano soloist is heard for the first time with an aching melody, the chorus now playing a supporting role. We are then whisked back to the playground for the brief and chirpy ‘Domine Fili Unigenite’. In the exquisite ‘Dominus Deus, Agnus Dei’, the soprano soloist returns, sometimes combining with the singers in the chorus and sometimes exchanging lyrical phrases with them. In the sixth movement, a majestic opening gives way to an animated section at the words ‘Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris’. Peace and serenity suffuse the radiant closing pages of the work but, characteristically, Poulenc cannot resist a last, loud interjection at ‘Amen’, where he briefly reprises the memorable ‘Gloria’ figure of the very opening, before calm is restored for the final utterance.
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Although Francis Poulenc saw himself primarily as a composer of religious music, it was not until 1936 that he produced his first sacred work. His distinctive style relies principally on strong musical contrasts. The harmony moves between Stravinskian dissonance and lush, sensuous chord progressions; vigorous counterpoint in clipped, angular phrases alternates with lyrical melodic writing; dynamics frequently range from a hushed piano to an emphatic forte within the space of a bar or two.
The work is divided into six short movements. After a brief orchestral introduction to the first of these, the chorus enters with a jagged rhythm matching the word ‘Gloria’, which forms the basis of this movement. The animated second movement, ‘Laudamus Te’, reveals Poulenc in playful mood, with the chorus for the most part divided into pairs of voices - sopranos and tenors; altos and basses - exchanging a series of short, pithy phrases. In the expressive third section, ‘Domine Deus’, the soprano soloist is heard for the first time with an aching melody, the chorus now playing a supporting role. We are then whisked back to the playground for the brief and chirpy ‘Domine Fili Unigenite’. In the exquisite ‘Dominus Deus, Agnus Dei’, the soprano soloist returns, sometimes combining with the singers in the chorus and sometimes exchanging lyrical phrases with them. In the sixth movement, a majestic opening gives way to an animated section at the words ‘Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris’. Peace and serenity suffuse the radiant closing pages of the work but, characteristically, Poulenc cannot resist a last, loud interjection at ‘Amen’, where he briefly reprises the memorable ‘Gloria’ figure of the very opening, before calm is restored for the final utterance.