[Poulenc, Francis. (1899–1963) & Landowska, Wanda. (1879–1959)] Restout, Denise. (1915–2004) [Bernac, Pierre. (1899–1979)]
Broadside and Six Original Photographs including three taken during the composition of the "Concert champêtre"
Six original photographs of the great Polish-French harpsichordist with the French composer, mounted to paper and labeled by Landowska's assistant, domestic partner, and biographer, Denise Restout. Three of the photographs were taken in 1928 during the composition of Concert champêtre, which was written by Poulenc especially for Landowska. In all three images, each attributed to Landowska's longtime maid Elsa Schunicke, Landowska sits at the keyboard with a pleasant smile while Poulenc looks on, seemingly lost in thought. The other three photographs, taken in the decade following the end of World War II, show the by now old friends sitting in conversation. The first, credited to Restout, is labelled "New York, Central Park West / 1948 / [Fir]st visit after the war." The second photograph, attributed to "Landshoff" — quite possibly photographer Herman Landshoff — shows Landowska and Poulenc in "New York Hotel Wyndham 1952 / Playing the Concert Champêtre on a mute keyboard!" The final image, again credited to Restout, shows the pair at Landowska's house in Lakeville, Connecticut, 1954, "listening to Mozart." Restout has inscribed to verso of the first sheet, "For Vivian, / Happy Birthday / and good luck for the completion of the PHD with admiration for her beautiful work on our friend 'Poupole' (as he called himself!) / Love, Denise." Light silvering to two of the three pre-war images, moderate wear to post-war photographs with heavy surface creasing and light folds to the photograph dating from 1954, overall in fine condition. Mounted to 9 x 12 inches (22.9 x 30.5 cm.).Together with a broadside for a performance by Poulenc with French baritone Pierre Bernac at Town Hall in New York City on November 7, 1948. "First American Tour of the Continental Favorites," the flyer proudly announces next to a photo of both men smiling at a piano. The program included pieces by Lully, Schubert, Debussy, and Poulenc himself. Horizontal folding crease, moderate wear, mounting remnants to upper portion of verso.
"Francis Poulenc first met Wanda Landowska at a private performance of Falla’s El Retablo de Maese Pedro in June 1923. On that occasion, Landowska requested concertos from both composers, and Falla’s effort premiered on 5 November 1926 in Barcelona. Poulenc, on the other hand was inspired to write 'a rustic concerto,' only when he visited Landowska in her country home in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt, a place where Rousseau and Diderot once strolled, and where Couperin had lived. Poulenc explained, 'I wrote the Concert champêtre between October 1927 and September 1928, or rather made a first version of it. You know what an amazing artist Wanda Landowska is. The way in which she’s revived the harpsichord, or renovated it if you prefer, is simply miraculous. I worked with her on the first version of the work, and we went through it bar by bar, note by note.'" (Georg Predota, Interlude)
From the collection of Vivian Wood (1923-2021), the American mezzo-soprano, educator, and author who was a student of Denise Restout and appeared in recitals, oratorios, operas, and on radio and television throughout the United States and European during the 1950s and 60s. Wood was recipient of the 1955 Young American Artists Concert Award in New York City and a Wanda Landowska fellow from 1961-1968. She spent the last decades of her career as a professor at the School of Music at the University of Southern Mississippi. (20119)
Classical Music Unsigned Photo/Portrait Unsigned Photograph Program, unsigned