Poulenc: The Life in the Songs

by Graham Johnson

One of the greatest modernist composers comes alive in this illuminating biography, a must-have for musicians and music-lovers alike. Francis Poulenc (1899–1963) is widely acknowledged as one of the twentieth century’s most significant masters of vocal music ―solo, choral, and operatic― quite apart from his achievements in instrumental spheres. But what it cost him, and the determined bravery it took for his unusual talent to thrive, has always been underestimated. In this seminal biography, which will serve as the definitive guide to the songs, acclaimed collaborative pianist Graham Johnson shows that it is in Poulenc’s extraordinary songs, and seeing how they fit into his life ―which included crippling guilt on account of his sexuality― that we discover Poulenc heart and soul. With Jeremy Sams’s vibrant new song translations, the first in over forty years, and the insight that comes from a lifetime of performing this music, Johnson provides an essential volume for singers, pianists, listeners, and readers interested in the artistic milieu of modernism in the first half of the twentieth century. 90 black-and-white illustrations

576 pages, Hardcover

First published June 23, 2020

About the author

Graham Johnson OBE is a British classical pianist and musicologist. An alumnus of the Royal Academy of Music, Johnson began his career as an accompanist in the 1970s, where he founded The Songmakers' Almanac alongside notable singers including Felicity Lott, Ann Murray, and Anthony Rolfe Johnson, to explore neglected areas of music for voice and accompanying piano.

Johnson has had a close relationship with the record label Hyperion since 1980, including devising the 37-CD project of the complete Lieder of Franz Schubert, for which he accompanied every album and wrote extensive liner notes. He has subsequently initiated the complete song cycles of Schumann and Brahms with the same company.

Additionally, Johnson served as Senior Professor of Accompaniment at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has written several books. In 2002, he was created Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government. He was granted Honorary Membership in the Royal Philharmonic Society in 2010. In 2018 Graham Johnson was awarded the Schubert Prize by the German Schubert Society for his life's work

Reviews

[Rachel Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly exceptional piece of scholarship. An indispensable resource for those looking to know Poulenc’s songs, or Poulenc himself, better. Certainly one of the best musical biographies I’ve ever read.