🇫🇷Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc ： Valse improvisée sur le nom de Bach in e-moll FP.62

As its title suggests, this waltz takes as its point of departure a musical figure derived from the notes of Bach’s name, reflecting Poulenc’s characteristic wit and subtle shading. Built on the light sway of triple meter, its melody unfolds in a singing manner, while unexpected harmonic turns and moments of hesitation create an improvisatory quality. The music shifts its expression within a single continuous flow, bringing elegant gestures into contrast with more introspective passages. In performance, it is important to preserve the buoyancy of the beat without becoming mechanical, and to attend carefully to the breathing of the phrases and the space within the rests. Bringing out the principal melody clearly while keeping the accompaniment light will highlight the piece’s urbane sound and delicate nuances.