🇫🇷Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc ： Nocturne No.4 “Bal fantôme” in c-moll FP.56

This miniature combines the lyricism of a nocturne with an otherworldly sense of dance. Quiet, songful passages alternate with episodes in which clearly defined rhythms come to the fore, creating shifts of light and shadow and a sense of tension within a concise form. Its appeal lies in following the melody’s subtle shading while bringing out the lightness and instability of the dance-like motion. In performance, avoid making the inner voices or accompaniment too heavy, and preserve the breathing of the principal melody. Use the pedal carefully from one passage to the next so that the sound remains clear, and portray sudden changes of expression without exaggeration, allowing refinement and an air of fantasy to coexist.