Mompou & Poulenc Piano and Song Vol.2

Federico Mompou and Francis Poulenc are two masters of 20th century music history who have maintained their own unique aesthetics. At first glance, the "quiet" Montpau, rooted in Catalonia, Spain, and Poulenc, who embodied the urban "stylishness" of Paris, may seem to be in stark contrast.

However, at the root of their music, there is a common thread of "poetic sentiment that transcends words" and "pure beauty that has been stripped away. In this concert, we will guide you into their profound world by interweaving their representative songs and piano works.

-Silence in the Echoes: The World of Mompou
Mompau's music is often described as "music of silence.
The mainstay of this year's program will be his masterpiece "The Battle of Dreams," a quiet interplay of love and loneliness. This collection of songs, in which love and loneliness quietly intermingle, penetrates deep into the listener's heart. In the excerpts from "Music of Silence," a milestone in solo piano music, the audience will experience the mysterious sound of each note as if it were melting into space.
The second half of the concert will feature "Five Poems by Paul Valéry," which brings to life the words of the French poet Paul Valéry, and "Songs of the Soul," filled with a mystical spirituality.

-The Passion of Poetry: Poulenc and Spain
One of the highlights of the program will be Poulenc's "Three Poems by Lorca.
Poulenc's poems by legendary Spanish poet Federico García Lorca are set to poignant melodies, creating a dense space where passion and the shadow of death intersect. Enjoy the moment when two personalities, Spanish and French, collide and sublimate, contrasted with the serene music of Montpauw.

The program also includes "Metamorphose," Poulenc's quintessential work, and "Two Poems by Louis Aragon," written during the upheavals of the Second World War, to explore the multifaceted appeal of Poulenc's music.

-Why these two men now?
In today's fast-paced world, the exhibition will evoke the "tranquility" that Montpauw sought and the "humanistic poetic sentiment" that Poulenc loved.

A palette of sumptuous sounds drawn by the dialogue between the singer's voice and the piano.
Please come and enjoy the "magic of poetry" woven by these two singers in the spring sunshine on April 18.