Date of Award
2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Music
First Advisor
Jack Sheinbaum
Second Advisor
Gillian Gower
Third Advisor
Kristin Taavola
Fourth Advisor
Thomas Nail
Keywords
Concert champêtre, Francis Poulenc, Harpsichord, Les Six, Musical heritage, Neoclassicism
Abstract
Leaving behind an abundance of primary documents, Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) reveals himself to be a colorful, opinionated composer, with an intriguing mindset regarding the role of twentieth-century composers. Poulenc’s writings place importance on the idea of musical legacy, where engaging with the music of past composers can only enrich compositions of the present, as opposed to the idea that such inspiration makes one’s work less “original.” This idea of compositional heritage stems from Poulenc’s musical education, which was informal, and mainly the product of his robust social network of important musical and artistic figures. Poulenc’s ideology adds a new perspective to neoclassical composition, and is especially present in his harpsichord concerto, the Concert champêtre (1928). This thesis surveys Poulenc’s writings to form a compositional ideology and examines the ways these ideas appear within his music, especially in the Concert champêtre. By identifying his ideology, this thesis highlights the value of Poulenc’s ideas as a neoclassicist with a less-than-conventional career.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Recommended Citation
Levy, Juliet E., "“I Shan't Ever Play Down These Influences”: Poulenc’s Neoclassicism as Musical Legacy" (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1945.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1945
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
Rights holder
Juliet E. Levy
File size
138 pgs
Copyright date
2021
File format
application/pdf
Language
en
Discipline
Music history, Musical composition