Banalités (Poulenc)

Banalités (FP 107) is a set of five mélodies for voice and piano composed by Francis Poulenc in 1940 on poems by Guillaume Apollinaire (1880–1918).

History of the work
Composed in 1940, the mélodies were premiered at salle Gaveau, on 14 December 1940, by Pierre Bernac (baritone) and the composer (piano).

Titles

 * 1) Chanson d’Orkenise
 * 2) Hôtel
 * 3) Fagnes de Wallonie
 * 4) Voyage à Paris
 * 5) Sanglots

Source of the poems
"Chanson d'Orkenise", "Fagnes de Wallonie" and "Sanglots" are taken from the collection Il y a (1925).

"Hôtel", written in 1913, was published in the posthumous collection Le Guetteur mélancolique (1952). "Voyage à Paris" was published in the Poèmes retrouvés from the Œuvres poétiques by Apollinaire in 1956.

Dedicatees
"Chanson d'Orkenise" is dedicated to Claude Rostand, "Hôtel" to Marthe Bosredon, "Fagnes de Wallonie" to Ms. Henri Frédéricq, "Voyage à Paris" to Paul Éluard, and "Sanglots" to Suzette Chanlaire.

Discography

 * Pierre Bernac (baritone) and Francis Poulenc (piano) in 1950 (Naxos).
 * 1 and 2: Régine Crespin (soprano) and John Wustman (piano) in 1967 (Decca).
 * Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto) and Inger Södergren (piano) (RCA).
 * Michel Piquemal (baritone) and Christine Lajarrige (piano) (Naxos).
 * Véronique Gens (soprano) and Roger Vignoles (piano) (Erato).

Quote

 * One song by the band Pink Martini, "Sympathique", is inspired by the poem "Hotel" by Apollinaire and its setting to music by Poulenc.