Airs chantés

Airs chantés (FR) Sung Airs. Poulenc's settings (1927 / 28) for soprano and piano of poems from Stances (Stanzas, 1899 / 1901) by Jean Moréas, freely adapted by the composer. Poulenc had a low opinion of the poems; he did not hesitate to mutilate them by splitting words between syllables, repeating text, and adding extravagant »la-la« melismas. Even the set's title is redundant, since an »air« is, by definition, almost always »chanté.« Poulenc writes: »It always surprises me that I was able to…