The Re-establishment of the French Musical Aesthetic at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century and the Perception of Nationalism in Francis Poulenc's Choral Music, Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence, FP 97, and Figure humaine, FP 120
Date
2016
Authors
Petravage, Laura
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Abstract
The late-nineteenth century was a time of transition and change in the political and social lives of the French people. This shift to the modern era brought with it nearly seventy years of conflict with Germany and, also, an awareness of the strong foreign influence on French culture. In an effort to regain a strong sense of nationality and pride, France introduced a cultural reform, which sought to redefine the French musical aesthetic and the traditional canon, through the establishment of a community of shared tastes and the usage of a descriptive language in contrast to the German romantic influence. Francis Poulenc’s choral output was a product of this aesthetic change and his compositions incorporate a unique style that identifies as distinctly French.
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Keywords
Music, Aesthetics, Choral music, Francis Poulenc, Music, Nationalism