what is the musical style of francis poulenc

Francis Poulenc was a French composer and pianist known for his perfection of melody, his aptitude for textual application, use of diatonic elements, and his eclectic yet strongly personal style. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Poulenc was largely self-taught, and his first compositions were witty pieces with streaks of impudent parody. Humor remained an important characteristic of his music, as in the Surrealistic comic opera Les Mamelles de Tirésias (1947; The Breasts of Tiresias), based on a farce by Apollinaire. In 1920, Poulenc was grouped with five other young French composers, calling them “Les Six.” They reacted against the style of music composed by German composer Richard Wagner and French composers Debussy and Ravel, writing irreverent music and cheeky jazz-fuelled tunes. Poulenc was an accomplished pianist and wrote many pieces for the instrument throughout his career. His piano writing can be divided into the percussive and the gentler style reminiscent of the harpsichord. Poulenc was also celebrated for his performing partnerships with the baritone Pierre Bernac and the soprano Denise Duval. His songs, which range from parody to tragedy, are admired for their lyricism and for their sensitive integration of vocal line and accompaniment. Poulenc was among the first composers to see the importance of the gramophone, and he recorded extensively from 1928 onwards.