Beyond the Human Voice: Francis Poulenc's Psychological Drama La Voix humaine (1958) Page: 53
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Poulenc's reference to the waltz as a "Sibelius-like Valse triste" could be
interpreted as a trivialization of the woman's emotions. Another interpretation woud be
that the waltz emphasizes her earlier dishonesty, as well as her self-deception, by
providing music that contradicts her emotional state.2 Poulenc's letter to Pierre Bernac in
which he empathizes with the woman's plight confirms his identification with her
feelings of abandonment.3 Yet the music contradicts the woman's intensity, just as
Poulenc mocked the general in "The General's Speech" from Les Marids de la tour
Eiffel. This paradox suggests that although Poulenc understands the woman's feelings,
he offsets the melodramatic potential of the situation.
2 Wilfrid Mellers, Francis Poulenc (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993), 133.
3 Ibid.53
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Beard, Cynthia C. Beyond the Human Voice: Francis Poulenc's Psychological Drama La Voix humaine (1958), thesis, May 2000; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2543/m1/59/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .