its most important bodies of art songs. They range chestral score. The opera has been beautifully re- from the ironic, as in the CocteauCocardes (1919) corded by Poulenc's favorite soprano. Denise Du- to the almost mystical, as in the beautifulMain do- val, also featuredinthe other opera albums. minee par le coeur(1947). based on a poem by sur- Conducted by Georges Pretre and once released in realist Paul Eluard. These two works and a number RCA's luxurious Soria series, this landmark disc is of other excerpts and cycles can be found on an ex- available only from France now. cellent anthology entitled "Poulenc et ses pokes." Poulenc should also be singled out for the impor- Poulenc also produced two more operas, both of tant body of religious music he left behind. Besides them serious and both of which have justifiably Dialogue des Carmelites,Poulenc's most effective been performed throughout the world. The tragic work in this area is. perhaps the deeply moving Sta- and rather MussorgskyanDialogues des Carmelites bat Mater (1950). The 1959 Gloria, which was criti- (1953-55), his only full-length opera, has one of the cized in certain circles as overdoing the joyous as- most hair-raising endings in all musical drama as a pects of this liturgical form. is one of the composer's chorus of nuns is gradually depleted to a duet, a most captivating works, and it has received an ex- solo, then silence through the device of decapita- cellent performance by the Robert Shaw Chorale tion. (Readers may remember the NBC Opera coupled with the StravinskySymphony ofPsalms, Company production on television.) The Angel with which the Gloria shares certain stylistic tics. mono recording is still in print. In LaVoix humaine (The Gloria's opening also owes a huge debt to the (1958), based on Cocteau's monodrama and a rare Hymn from Stravinsky's Serenade for Piano.) example of a single -character opera, Poulenc used Other important Poulenc works available on disc a more Debussyesque extended recitative that oc- include the Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Tim- casionally breaks into poignant semiarias, all of pani (1938) and theConcert champetre(1927-28) which is backed up by an extremely sumptuous or- for harpsichord and orchestra. Recommended Recordings Dialogues des Carmelites. Denise Duval, Re- gine Crespin, Rita Gorr, et al.; Pierre Der- vaux, cond. ANGEL CL 3585 (three discs, FRANCIS POULENC (1899-1963) mono). Aubade, ChoreographicConcerto.Gabriel Gloria. Robert Shaw, cond. RCA RED SEAL Tacchino, piano; Georges Pretre, cond. LSC 2822 (with Stravinsky: Symphony of ANGEL S 36426 (with Piano Concerto). Psalms). Les Biches-See Auric: Les Facheux. -Georges Pretre, cond.-See Concerto for Concert champetre for Harpsichord and Organ. Orchestra. Aimee van de Wiele, harpsi- Les Mamelles de Tiresias. Denise Duval et chord; Georges Pretre, cond. ANGEL S al.; Andre Cluytens, cond. SERAPHIM 60029 35993 (with Two -Piano Concerto). (mono, OP). -Robert Veyron-Lacroix, harpsichord; Jean Les Merles de la Tour Eiffel-See Les Six. Martinon, cond. MUSICAL HERITAGE MHS -(pieces by Poulenc only)-See Deux 1595 (with Organ Concerto). Marches. Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Timpani, Quatre Motets pour un temps de penitence. inG minor.MauriceDurufle,organ; Georges Pretre, cond. ANGELS 36121 (with Georges Pretre,cond. ANGEL S Stabat Mater). 35953;4-128XS35953;WM4XS 35953 (with Sinfonietta-See Deux Marches. Gloria). Sonata for Flute and Piano. Jean-Pierre -Marie -Claire Alain, organ; Jean Martinon, Rampal, flute; Robert Veyron-Lacroix, pi- cond.-See Concert champetre. ano. MUSICAL HERITAGE MHS 906. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra-See Songs. Various singers. PATHE CCA 1098* Aubade. ("Poulenc et ses poetes"). Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra. -(four cycles) Gerard Souzay, baritone; Dal- Arthur Gold and Robert Fizdale, pianos; ton Baldwin, piano. PHILIPS 802 765. Leonard Bernstein, cond. COLUMBIA MS Stabat Mater. Regine Crespin, soprano; 6392 (with Shostakovich: Concerto No. 1). Georges Pretre, cond.-See Quatre Mo- -Poulenc and Jacques Fevrier, pianos; tets. Georges Pretre, cond.-See Concert Suite franqaise-See Deux Marches. champetre. La Voix humaine. Denise Duval, soprano; Deux Marches et un intermede. Georges Georges Pretre, cond. VOIX DE SON MAITRE Pretre, cond. ANGEL S 36519 (with Les CVA 918* (formerly RCA VICTOR LSS 2385, Manes; Sinfonietta; Suite francaise). OP). 54 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE.