Francis Poulenc : Bourée, au pavillon d’Auvergne FP 87

Work Overview

• Publication Year: 1937
• First Publisher: R. Deiss (later Salabert)
• Instrumentation: Piano solo
• Total Performance Time: 1 minute 30 seconds

The 1937 Paris Exposition, despite opening under an unsettling international climate, became a great success as the elaborately designed exhibits from various countries garnered attention. To commemorate the exposition, Marguerite Long spearheaded the planning and publication of two piano collections. One was “À l’Exposition” (At the Exhibition / published by Deiss), a collection of works by eight French composers (Auric, Delannoy, Ibert, Milhaud, Poulenc, Sauguet, Schmitt, Taillefer). The other was “Parc d’Attractions-Expo 1937” (Amusement Park - Expo 1937 / published by Max Eschig), a collection of works by nine foreign composers residing in Paris (Tcherepnin, Martinu, Mompou, Rieti, Honegger, Halffter, Tansman, Mihalovici, Harsányi). Both collections are interesting not only for showcasing the individuality of each composer but also for vividly capturing various scenes from this final historical event of the interwar period.

Among the pavilions independently exhibited by various regions of France was the “Pavillon d’Auvergne.” This work draws its inspiration from it. In C major, 2/2 time, Modéré (moderately). Over a light, rapid succession of single eighth notes in the left hand, a familiar, folk-like melody is sung by the right hand. The bass, fixed on the tonic, resonates like a bagpipe drone (sustained bass), evoking a tranquil pastoral atmosphere. In the middle section, the mood shifts to a melancholic and enigmatic character, but it returns to a lively C major before concluding. It can be described as a fine piece, small in scale yet imbued with elegant accents and spice. Poulenc owned a château in Noizay and favored it as a retreat for composition; this work was also composed in Noizay and completed on May 7, 1937.

Marguerite Long was known for her interest in contemporary music, her involvement in the premieres of many new works, and her active encouragement of her students to perform them. The premiere of this work took place on June 25, 1937, at the “Pavillon de la Femme, de l’Enfant et de la Famille” (Pavilion of Women, Children, and Family) within the exhibition grounds, performed by an 8-year-old girl, Françoise Gobet, a student of Long. Gobet later graduated from the piano department of the Conservatoire de Paris with top honors and gained renown as a pianist specializing in contemporary French music.