Poulenc’s Babar and Satie’s Sports et Divertissements

Francis Poulenc was a French composer and pianist associated with the Groupe des Six, a circle of composers active in Paris after World War I who sought clarity, economy, and directness in contrast to Romantic and Impressionist traditions.
Largely self-taught, Poulenc drew on influences from both popular music and the French classical heritage. His works include songs, choral and chamber music, orchestral compositions, and several operas.

Erik Satie was a French composer and pianist whose work played a formative role in the development of modern French music. Trained at the Paris Conservatoire and later active in Montmartre’s cabaret scene, he was associated with Symbolist and avant-garde circles and collaborated with artists such as Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso.

While Jean de Brunhoff was bringing elephants to life with his drawings, a young pianist named Francis Poulenc was composing songs and piano works—often inspired by his poet friends or written for fellow musicians.
One day, while improvising at the piano during a family visit, the daughter of one of his cousins approached him, holding a book: The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant. She placed it on the piano and asked, “Play me the story!”

Smiling, Poulenc did just that; illustrating the story not with paintbrushes like Jean de Brunhoff, but with musical notes.

To capture the spirit of each scene, he used a variety of musical styles: a lullaby to rock Babar to sleep, a waltz for the pastry shop, and a majestic march for the wedding,

The result was a tender, witty, and poetic musical tale in which image and sound converse beautifully. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words—but in Poulenc’s hands, music speaks just as eloquently.

Vytas J. Baksys is a Boston-based pianist and chamber musician whose artistry spans the concert stage, recording studio, and orchestra pit. A longtime keyboardist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops, he also performs regularly with Boston Musica Viva, the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, and the Concord Chamber Music Society.

Educated at the New England Conservatory and the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he studied with Angel Ramón Rivera, Victor Rosenbaum, and Gilbert Kalish. Since 1989 he has served as faculty pianist for the Tanglewood Conducting Fellowship and is a member of the faculty at the Rivers School Conservatory in Weston, MA.

Equally active as a composer and arranger, Baksys has written piano and chamber works and created inventive transcriptions ranging from Beethoven to Villa-Lobos. His performances are featured on recordings for RCA, Sony Classical, Deutsche Grammophon, Nonesuch, and BSO Classics. Of Lithuanian heritage, he is known for his vibrant musicianship, precision, and engaging musical wit.

Violinist Marla Rubinson is based in Boston and performs with numerous orchestras throughout New England, including the Portland Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Vista Philharmonic, and the Cape Symphony. She has served as assistant concertmaster and interim concertmaster of the Plymouth Philharmonic, and as principal second violin of the Simon Sinfonietta.

Originally from Long Island, New York, Ms. Rubinson began her studies at Brown University, initially pursuing a career in biology before deciding to focus on music. She went on to study violin with Roger Shermont at Boston University. Passionate about programs that unite music and storytelling, she has also narrated concerts on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation as part of the Chamber Music Festival of the Black Hills.