Poulenc: Music for Two Pianos

Just prior to this sequence of works, Poulenc wrote the score to the Henri Lavorel film   ‘Le Voyage en Amérique’, scored for two pianos. Poulenc himself played one of the piano parts in the film, with his friend Jacques Février playing the other. The score did not survive, and has been transcribed from the soundtrack by Antony Gray. It is here receiving its first concert performance.

Also in the programme is Poulenc’s own two-piano version of his 1928 Concert Champetre, a version that has been completely ignored.  In addition, music by Tailleferre, who is indirectly responsible for Poulenc’s music for two pianos, and Joan Trimble, who, perhaps surprisingly, wrote a Nocturne in Homage to F. Poulenc.

This event will last for approximately 100 minutes, including an interval.

About Antony Gray

Antony Gray is an Australian pianist. He has recorded Bach, Goossens, Williamson, Carmichael, Brahms and Poulenc for ABC Classics and lots of Saint-Saëns for Divine Art. He has recently recorded a couple of discs of music written for teacher and student, with his students. He won’t be doing that again (also Divine Art). He also teaches the violin, and hopes one day to be able to play it himself, makes delicious beetroot wine and has been trying for years, and without success, to grow artichokes. He has homes in London and Marrakech.

About Rob Hao

Rob Hao is an Australian pianist and composer. His compositions and performances have taken him around Australia, the UK and across continental Europe at festivals and venues such as Sydney Opera House, the Melbourne Recital Centre, Aldeburgh, Manchester Festival of Song and Vienna’s Schoenberg Centre. Rob’s LP Palimpsest was released in 2025, and in recent seasons he has given regional and world premieres of over thirty works. Rob studied piano and composition at the Royal College of Music and currently lives in London. He is currently an Associate Artist of the Australian Music Centre.