Trois novelettes

Trois novelettes (Three novelettes) are three short novelettes composed by Francis Poulenc.

The first two novelettes, in C major and B-flat minor, written in 1927 and 1928 respectively, were originally published together, with the third novellete in E minor written in 1959. These novelletes demonstrate multi-layered piano writing.

• Novelette in C major (1927) is dedicated to a family friend Virgine Liénard, which is also who his piano suite Les soirées de Nazelles (1930-36) is dedicated to. The piece features a neo-classical song-like melody interrupted by a central contrasting section.

• Novelette in Bb minor (1928) is similar in ways to a scherzo, dedicated to Poulenc's friend and critic, Louis Laloy.

• Novelette in E minor (1959) is based on Manuel de Falla's 7/8 theme from El amor brujo (1916), simplified by Poulenc in 3/8 time, interestingly for Poulenc, without a contrasting section. This piece was dedicated to his close friend R. Douglas Gibson, employing fluid arpeggio figures.

Poulenc premiered his first two novelletes at a concert in Paris on June 10, 1928.

References

Sachania, M. & Potter, C. Francis Poulenc: Three Novelettes for Piano, Chester Music, revised edition (1999).

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