Parisienne Festival: Poulenc Sonatas

Luke English clarinet
Jackie Tang piano

Poulenc Sonata for Clarinet and Piano

Olivia Sterlini oboe
Alex Lewis piano

Poulenc Sonata for Oboe and Piano

Kelly Leong Hui violin
Aaron Billson cello
Yee Loh piano

Chaminade Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 11

The woodwind instruments were beloved by so many French composers, as the richness of repertoire for them testifies. These two sonatas are among Poulenc’s final works. The oboe sonata was dedicated to Prokoviev, and the Clarinet Sonata was first performed by Benny Goodman - sadly after Poulenc’s death.

Cecile Chaminade, 1857-1944, was a famous piano virtuoso pianist, with more than 200 compositions to her name, despite the stigma against women composers at the time. Fauré and Brahms are unmistakable influences in her style. This Trio is one of her earliest works, exuberant and passionate.