POULENC Francis (1899 - 1963)

Lot 158
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8000 - 10000 EUR
POULENC Francis (1899 - 1963)
autograph manuscript signed "Francis Poulenc", Les Mamelles de Tirésias. Corrections for a reduced orchestration (1962) ; 2 notebooks of 30 and 19 pages, mostly double-sided (plus blank pages), yellow cardboard covers, spiral spine (35 x 27 cm, Heugel Archives stamps on covers). Very interesting document for the re-orchestration of Les Mamelles de Tirésias. As early as 1939, Poulenc worked on the musical setting of Guillaume's play APOLLINAIRE, Les Mamelles de Tirésias ; he composed his opera-bouff e in 1944, orchestrated it in 1945, and the premiere took place at the Opéra-Comique on June 3, 1947 under the musical direction of Albert Wolff, in a staging by Max de Rieux, sets and costumes by Erté, with the wonderful Denise Duval in the role of Thérèse. The vocal-piano score was published in April 1947 by Heugel. In May 1962, Poulenc decided to redo the orchestration; it is this "new version" which was published by Heugel in January 1963, and which is now performed. Les Mamelles de Tirésias, an opera-bouff e in two acts and a prologue [FP 125], in which Poulenc marvelously translated the surrealist spirit of Apollinaire's play into music, is an imperishable masterpiece of comicality, but also of poetry, sensitivity and musical humor. The manuscript of these Corrections pour une orchestration réduite (Corrections for a reduced orchestration) is written in blue ink and red ballpoint pen in two notebooks of music paper with 28 lines. It is signed and dated at the end "Noizay, mai juin 62". On the covers, Poulenc has noted the title and signed, the first notebook being for Act I, the second (which bears the mention "orchestration par deux") for the Entr'acte and Act II. A title sheet bears: "Corrections pour les Mamelles de Tirésias - orchestration réduite", and the date: "Mai 62". Then Poulenc lists the composition of the orchestra: "2 flutes (2nd=small flute), 2 oboes (2nd=English horn), 2 Bb clarinets, 1 Bb bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone, 1 tuba, timpani, drums (one performer) [celesta, xylophone, glockenspiel, drums], 1 harp, 1 piano, 10 first violins, 8 second violins, 6 violas, 4 cellos, 3 double bass. Total 50 musicians"; the 1946 orchestra included 3 bassoons, 4 horns and 3 trumpets. After indications for the engraver, Poulenc begins his work of reorchestration, which is not only a reduction of the eff ectif, but often the rewriting of certain parts. Each page of the score to be corrected is noted in red pen, before the corrections in blue ink. These are sometimes simple indications of correction of the reduced parts, but most often Poulenc rewrites entire measures of his music. Thus, page 1, 3 measures for the woodwinds; pages 3 and 4, indications; page 5, 3 measures for the horns; page 6, indication; page 9, 3 measures for the flutes and oboes; page 10, 4 measures for the winds; page 11, 4 measures for almost all the orchestra... Etc. DISCOGRAPHY Denise Duval et al, Chœurs et Orchestre du Théâtre National de l'Opéra-Comique, André Cluytens 1953 (EMI 1989).
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