- Date: 1959 -1960
- Composer: Francis Poulenc
- Period: Modern (1910-1949)
Review
"[The Laudamus Te] caused a scandal; I wonder why? I was simply thinking, in writing it, of the Gozzoli frescoes in which the angels stick out their tongues; I was thinking also of the serious Benedictines whom I saw playing soccer one day." This, Poulenc's own description of the second movement of his Gloria (for orchestra, chorus, and soloist), captures the essential nature of his approach to sacred music. An odd mixture of lightheartedness and spirituality -- which, Poulenc argues through his music, are not mutually exclusive -- has come to be one of the composer's trademarks; indeed, these seemingly opposing values can be represented by the triumphant trumpet fanfare that begins the Gloria and the peppy melody of the "Laudamus Te" -- the two themes are perhaps the most familiar in Poulenc's entire output. The style is a distinctive combination of Poulenc's devil-may-care attitude from the early years of Les Six and the profound religiosity that he encountered in mid-life.Composed in 1959, the work is one of three sacred pieces from Poulenc's "mature" years (the others being the Stabat Mater from 1950 and Sept répons des ténèbres from 1962). It was commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation after one of Poulenc's trips to America, receiving its premiere in Boston in 1961.
In composing his Gloria, Poulenc divided the text into six sections. The first movement, marked maestoso, begins with three iterations of the heraldic theme -- a stately, dotted fanfare concluding with a triplet flourish -- in different orchestrational settings and with slightly different harmonic conclusions. The chorus enters above a bubbling orchestral texture, singing the text in lively declamatory syncopation. The second movement begins with a short, playful instrumental introduction, the chorus enters with the famous "Laudamus Te." The tune itself, marked Très vite et joyeux, isn't all that irreverent; its playfulness stems largely from the orchestration, which puts high and low registers alike on the offbeats. This gives the piece a delightfully awkward momentum -- likely similar to that of a monk in full Benedictine garb footing the ball toward the goal.
The third movement contrasts with the previous two in its tranquillity and restraint. Marked Très lente et calme, it begins with a plaintive woodwind interlude. The soprano soloist then enters on a melody characterized by initial notes in the upper register that plunge dramatically into the lower range. The harmonies in the orchestra and chorus are striking, sometimes approaching a Debussyian wash of impressionistic color.
For the fourth movement, Poulenc once again returns to the Très vite et joyeux mood of the second movement, while the instrumental interludes vaguely resemble the opening brass fanfare. The fifth returns to more staid feel, with a slow tempo and dark orchestrational introduction that precedes a haunting soprano solo. Emerging from the upper atmosphere, the soloist counters the descending lines of the third movement with an angular melody that reaches impossibly upwards. The rising line resonates vividly with the corresponding portion of the text, which constitutes a humble and penitent prayer for mercy. The final movement begins with a bold a capella exclamation, followed by a return of the brass fanfare. The soloist returns for a rhapsodic solo underscored by impressionist harmonies, with special attention given to the lush major seventh chord. This harmony accommodates a final return of the brass fanfare, before the soloist brings the work to a serene conclusion. ~ All Music Guide
