Poulenc, Francis |
| COMPOSER (FRANCE) |
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BORN 7 Jan 1899, Paris - DIED 30 Oct 1963, Paris CAUSE OF DEATH heart failure GRAVE LOCATION Paris: Père Lachaise, Rue du Repos 16 (division 05, chemin Serré, ligne 01) |
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French composer who was initially taught piano by his mother and turned into an an outstanding pianist. He was a member of the group of young composers Les Six, together with Auric, Durey, Honegger, Milhaud and Tailleferre. He used DaDa techniques and created melodies that were unusual for his time. He composed all kinds of music: opera, chamber music, ballet and orchestral music. He had several relationships with women, but in reality he loved men. Although he never had sexual interest in her, he wanted to marry his longtime friend Raymonde Linossier, but she died young. He had a serious relationship with the painter Richard Chanlaire. He had a daughter, Marie-Ange, of whom he never admitted that he was father. In later years he rediscovered Catholicism and his work became more sombre. The critic Claude Rostand wrote about him in 1950 as 'le moine el te voyou' ('half bad boy, half monk'). |
| Images |
 The grave of Francis Poulenc at Père Lachaise, Paris. Picture by Androom (19 Nov 2006) |
Sources • Culbertson, Judi & Tom Randall, Permanent Parisians, Robson Books, London, 1991 • Encyclopedie van de Muziek, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1959 • Francis Poulenc - Wikipedia (EN) |
