Denise Duval sings Poulenc arias with composer at piano

[Mezzotenor]

Thank you all for helping me realize I'm not insane for loving her performances of Poulenc's music. The composer was blessed to have two singers who brought his vocal works to live with great style and intelligence, Mme. Duval and Pierre Bernac. Both, incidentally, gave vocal students very specific advice about singing Poulenc. (Somewhere here there's a video of Duval coaching a singer in "La voix humaine" rather pointedly and critically, but astutely.)

[HBerlioz007]

La très simple perfection de la musique française : élégance, émotion.

[gwirgalon]

un trèsor. Merci maintes fois. L'histoire de Callas est d'un précieux! autant que c'est une artiste que j'admire pour son art et scholarship..

et quel plaisir le diction!! Et puis, la finesse de la musique elle m^eme..un R Strauss français..

[gwirgalon]

un trèsor. Merci maintes fois. L'histoire de Callas est d'un précieux! autant que c'est une artiste que j'admire pour son art et scholarship..

et quel plaisir le diction!!

[clytemnestre1]

Quelle diction parfaite! Merci pour ce précieux document!

[MrSkylark1]

A splendid artist who is a perfectionist with her art, unheard of today

[7inga7]

Wonderful; I love this! Thank you so much!

[MrDeedree]

I listened to this over and over again. Beautiful. A real example to me.

[danasc80]

Thank you soooo much for posting this! I've never actually saw a video with these two, just heard various recordings. This is a real treat

[franimalistic]

It's so valuable to see footage of composer-approved performances! Thanks for the beautiful upload!

[franimalistic]

I didn't watch this to the end before posting... Now that I have, I need to add what a STUNNING performance the second aria is!!!

[perfectstrings]

Wow....just wow....

As an aspiring compoer and conducting, I can only bow my head in respect. Poulenc truly was one of the greatest, as well as madame Duval.

[BrentAudi]

Thank you for posting this to Youtube!

Awesome!

Just Awesome!

Brent

[papidou1934]

merveilleux souvenir....merci

[Parterrefan]

Joyeux anniversaire! Je vous présent mes meilleurs vœux de bonheur. Un grand merci.

[baracine]

Please post the ending of Duval's "La Voix humaine" with photographs. If nothing else, it would confound the admirers of Jessye Norman in that part. Thanks in advance.

[tarstan]

Wonderful wonderful stuff transporting us back to an earlier age. These's also a chapter on Duval in The Last Prima Donnas by Lanfranco Rasponi, an invaluable document about great artists of the past.

[wwwoyzeck]

wow. every composer has his ideal interpret and "interpreter", and obviously for poulenc it is duval. unlike the "dialogues", i don't conider "la voix humaine" a masterpiece, but if it is rendered like this, every phrase makes sense...

[westmalle3]

Is that Dior?

[licoricestic]

yes it is, as noted in a bio of poulenc, duval was a friend of Dior as was Poulenc. her relationship with dior was perhaps more than friendship...

[amatorynumber]

@licoricestic Dior seems to have been gay, although so much in the closet it was untrue! :-D As for Poulenc, he wasn't even in the closet. This lady had to look for love elsewhere, I am afraid.

[westmalle3]

Thank you - I have listened to Denise Duval so often, in Poulenc and Ravel, and always wondered how she would look on stage - and now I know! I am moved and touched and cannot thank you enough for posting this clip! Brilliant. Denise Duval will be 87 this year on october the 23rd - I hope she is happy...

[SONIETCHKA]

If you want to know more about Denise, you should read a book named "Divas, la force d'un destin" by Pierre Miscevic. A full chapter is dedicated to her.

[janraffaello]

Thanks for putting this here. I discovered these recordings last year and was immediately crazy about it. Duval is great! she's an example of involvement in her roles and I adore the singing too; a search for clearness and 'passing the message', rather than only emitting beautifull tones. Superb!

[qklq42]

The voice of Denise is french indeed, but particulary her perfect diction. We easely understand every word she sings ! Typical the french way of singing. Beautiful !!!!

Thanks for posting this video TGP. They are indeed great performers. And you have a very fine taste.

Hans NL

[dahnbi]

god bless you for uploading this - love love love Poulence and Duval!!!! totally awesome!

[dahnbi]

haha 'poulence' i was typing too fast :o(