Beyond the Human Voice: Francis Poulenc's Psychological Drama La Voix humaine (1958) Page: 26
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CHAPTER 4
MUSICAL STYLE
During his lifetime, Poulenc was known primarily as a song composer, due to his
extensive tours with singer Pierre Bernac and later with Hugues Counod. Poulenc's
composition of songs spans his entire lifetime. He demonstrates his mastery of this genre
even in purely instrumental music, with his focus on melody and subsidiary
accompaniment. Poulenc also composed music for chorus, piano, chamber groups, and
orchestra.
In La Voix humaine much of singer's music is declamatory, rather than lyrical. At
times, the orchestra supplies the melody that is lacking in the voice,2 as when the woman
recalls a vacation in Versailles (see Example 23). Although Poulenc's other vocal works
typically feature a more conjunct diatonic melody, La Voix humaine emphasizes the
woman's emotions through disjointed singing. The woman's speech-like delivery allows
for the articulation of very few "melodies" during the opera. The voice follows regular
speech-patterns rather than fitting into poetic meters.3 Yet, traces of Poulenc's song
technique can be found in his instrumental preparations for vocal entrances. For instance,
when the woman first sings, the xylophone cues her, playing her first pitch. The
1 Keith Daniel, Francis Poulenc: His Artistic Development and Musical Style (Ann Arbor: UMI
Research Press, 1982), 62.
2 Ibid., 309.
3 Ibid., 307.26
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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/m1/32/?q=music: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .