Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2017 Two Examples of Neo-Classicism in France from the Early and Late Twentieth Century: Francis Poulenc's Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano (1926) and Jean Françaix's Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano (1994) Siobhán Marie Ciulla Follow this and additional works at the DigiNole: FSU's Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC TWO EXAMPLES OF NEO-CLASSICISM IN FRANCE FROM THE EARLY AND LATE TWENTIETH CENTURY: FRANCIS POULENC’S TRIO FOR OBOE, BASSOON, AND PIANO (1926) AND JEAN FRANÇAIX’S TRIO FOR OBOE, BASSOON, AND PIANO (1994) By SIOBHÁN MARIE CIULLA A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music 2017 © 2017 Siobhán M. Ciulla Siobhán Ciulla defended this treatise on April 10, 2017. The members of the supervisory committee were: Eric Ohlsson Professor Directing Treatise Richard Clary University Representative Deborah Bish Committee Member Jeffrey Keesecker Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the treatise has been approved in accordance with university requirements. ii To my loving husband, Nicholas Peter Ciulla iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES .........................................................................................................................v ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. vii INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................1 FRANCIS POULENC’S TRIO FOR OBOE, BASSOON, AND PIANO (1926) AN EXAMPLE OF EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY NEO-CLASSICISM IN FRANCE .......6 JEAN FRANÇAIX’S TRIO FOR OBOE, BASSOON, AND PIANO (1994): NEO-CLASSICISM AT THE END OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY...................................21 CONCLUSION ..............................................................................................................................38 BIBOLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................39 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .........................................................................................................43 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Francis Poulenc, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 147-149......................................................................................................................14 Figure 1.2 Francis Poulenc, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. II, mm. 29-30.........................................................................................................................14 Figure 1.3 Francis Poulenc, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. III, mm. 171-174...................................................................................................................15 Figure 1.4 Francis Poulenc, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. II, mm. 19-22.........................................................................................................................15 Figure 1.5 Francis Poulenc, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 7-9..............................................................................................................................16 Figure 1.6 Francis Poulenc, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. II, m. 8...................................................................................................................................17 Figure 1.7 Francis Poulenc, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. III, mm. 8...............................................................................................................................17 Figure 2.1 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. II, mm. 29-34.........................................................................................................................28 Figure 2.2 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 22-23..........................................................................................................................29 Figure 2.3 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. II, mm. 5-10...........................................................................................................................30 Figure 2.4 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. II, mm. 113-116.....................................................................................................................30 Figure 2.5 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. III, mm. 5-6...........................................................................................................................32 Figure 2.6 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. IV, mm. 137-141...................................................................................................................32 Figure 2.7 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. I, m. 1....................................................................................................................................33 Figure 2.8 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. I, m. 9....................................................................................................................................33 v Figure 2.9 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. IV, m. 5..................................................................................................................................33 Figure 2.10 Dr. Clave, 3-2 Son Clave Three-Side and Two-Side, ...............................................35 Figure 2.11 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. I, m. 39..................................................................................................................................35 Figure 2.12 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 9.................................................................................................................................35 Figure 2.13 Jean Françaix, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. II, m. 105-106........................................................................................................................36 vi ABSTRACT This document is a compilation of two lecture recitals held on 5 December 2016 and 1 March 2017. The first recital was based on Francis Poulenc’s Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, completed in 1926 and the second was based on Jean Françaix’s Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano written in 1994. In each lecture, compositional elements and influences were examined to highlight the impact of neo-classicism on the composer. The purpose of this research is to examine two French Trios in order to provide a musical perspective of neo-classicism during the early and late twentieth century. In studying both works it quickly becomes apparent that while Poulenc and Françaix used traditional formal models and tonalities for inspiration, they were still writing new music during the twentieth century. As a result, a multitude of twentieth century compositional devices such as planing, octatonicism, and chromaticism are used to embellish the neo-classical music of these composers. By exploring the neo-classical compositional elements in each work, one can see a clear connection between Poulenc’s Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano and Françaix’s Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano. Each composer aspired to write music that was easily understood, while combining classical artistic values and twentieth century techniques to create truly ‘neo’- classical works. Due to their popularity and exposure, the Poulenc Trio and the Françaix Trio are now considered “standards” for this combination of instruments. By studying these trios, we are able to gain greater musical perspective, as we examine the influence of neo-classicism on these composers during the early and late twentieth century. vii INTRODUCTION From 1914 to 1918 World War I devastated Europe. Along with its population and infrastructure, the “Great War” tremendously impacted the once positive and hopeful attitudes of the entire western world regarding the new twentieth century. Across Europe there was a renewed longing for music of a simpler and more pleasant nature.1 German culture had largely dominated Europe in the nineteenth century and nowhere was this more evident than in the music of the great German romantic composers such as Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, and Mahler. Their music not only represented the country that was widely blamed for the conflict, but also the emotional and idealistic national pride that had helped launch the world into war.2 In addition to the romantic composers, the “Second Viennese School,” which was focused on utilizing a new harmonic language based on Schoenberg’s twelve-tone system, was also taking shape before and after the war. In its essence, the French neo-classical movement was a reaction against German romanticism, French impressionism, and the early twentieth century atonal language that represented the emotionalism and shapelessness of the past two decades. The years after the “Great War” were truly a movement of “neo” classicism in France. For a group of six young French composers, the writings of Jean Cocteau and the music of Erik Satie became extremely