Gloria (Poulenc)

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The Gloria by Francis Poulenc (FP 177) was written in 1959 and is one of his most celebrated works. The Gloria is scored for soprano solo, large orchestra, and chorus. It is divided into six movements and the relative keys are given below:

1. Gloria in Excelsis Deo (G major)
2. Laudamus Te (C major)
3. Domine Deus (B minor)
4. Domine Fili Unigenite (G major)
5. Agnus Dei (B flat minor)
6. Qui Sedes ad Dexteram Patris (G major)

The music is highly impressionistic and very sunlit, although was once described as being sacrilegious.^{[citation needed]} The first movement opens with a great chordal motif from the brass instruments, the chorus enters singing in an accented and fiery manner. The second movement is the most jocund opening with a strange, quick brass introduction. A light tune repeats throughout this movement along with an often-changing time signature. The third movement is darker and mysterious; the soprano soloist takes charge of this movement after a woodwind introduction. The fourth movement is the shortest and vaguely resembles the second movement in the jocular nature of the orchestral phrases, but contains some of the accented nature of the first movement in the chorus parts. The fifth movement opens with woodwind and resembles the third movement as the soprano solo sings most of the main parts of this section. The music is darker and mysterious and culminates in an E-flat minor chord. The sixth movement starts with the majestic triumph of the first movement, culminating in a forceful E chord containing both major and minor thirds. A lively, faster section follows with strong melodies in the chorus interpersed with the brass chord motif from the first movement, and this builds up to a climax before a sudden stop and the solo soprano entering alone. The piece then ends with a dreamy section with particular use of chords with major sevenths.

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