Clarinet Sonata (Poulenc)
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| Sonate pour clarinette et piano Clarinet Sonata | |
|---|---|
| Chamber music by Francis Poulenc | |
| Catalogue | FP 184 |
| Composed | 1962 |
| Dedication | Memory of Arthur Honegger |
| Performed | 10 April 1963 |
| Movements | 3 |
The Sonate pour clarinette et piano (Clarinet Sonata), FP 184, for clarinet in B♭ and piano by Francis Poulenc dates from 1962 and is one of the last pieces he completed. It is dedicated to the memory of Arthur Honegger, who like Poulenc had belonged to the group Les Six. A typical performance takes 12–14 minutes.[1][2]
The sonata is in three movements:
- Allegro tristamente (Allegretto – Très calme – Tempo allegretto)
- Romanza (Très calme)
- Allegro con fuoco (Très animé)
The structure differs somewhat from the fast-slow-fast pattern of a traditional sonata in that the first movement is itself split into three sections in the pattern fast-slow-fast. It bears the somewhat paradoxical subtitle "Allegro tristamente": accordingly, the piece is always in motion, but proceeds with a sense of grieving.[2] After a brief fortissimo introduction consisting of angry spurts of figuration in the clarinet punctuated by piano chords, the piano quiets to a murmur. The clarinet's lines are built of a self-perpetuating series of arcs. During the slow section, a sense of grieving is developed, where the clarinet jumps between octave bs.
The Romanza begins with a solo statement from the clarinet before it is joined by the piano’s steady accompaniment. The lyrical melody line carries the sense of melancholy that could be found in the 1st movement but takes it to the very maximum.
The finale is rambunctious and energetic, complete with percussive piano accompaniment and shrieking clarinet passages that create a circus-like feel.
