[Score] Poulenc - Sept Répons des Ténèbres, FP 181 (for soprano, chorus and orchestra) 

Jeudi Saint 0:00 I. Una hora non potuistis vigilare mecum 3:29 II. Judas, mercator pessimus Vendredi Saint 6:06 III. Jesum tradidit 10:31 IV. Caligaverunt oculi mei 13:10 V. Tenebræ factæ sunt Samedi Saint 17:14 VI. Sepulto domino 20:09 VII. Ece quomodo moritur justus

Thank you for posting this terrific performance of the unjustly neglected third "panel" of Poulenc's sacred triptych for soprano solo, chorus and orchestra: "Stabat Mater" (1950), "Gloria" (1960) and "Sept Répons des Ténèbres" (1962). A major difference between the earlier two works and this one is that Poulenc specified boys' voices for the upper voices of the chorus and especially for the soloist. Libby Crabtree, the soloist here, as well as the sopranos and altos of the chorus seem to be adjusting their vocal color appropriately. (The grandly extrovert, quasi-operatic soprano solo parts in the "Stabat Mater" and "Gloria" are another matter entirely.) Of the three recordings of this piece that I know of, only the first (conducted by Georges Prêtre) uses boys' voices: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Xpfkdc12qCI.html

I can't thank you enough for uploading this score with the best-ever recording of it. The work really deserves to be better known - it's Poulenc at the height of his harmonic sophistication, at times near dodecaphonic, more typically benign at others.