Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) was a French composer and pianist. His wealthy family did not allow him to enroll at a music college, so he was largely self-educated. His early works show his high spirits and irreverence. A serious side emerged in the 1930s. This disc’s pianist Aleck Karis writes: “His compositions are original, humorous, light without ever being trivial, touching without being sentimental, and full of delightful surprises. . . .From the earliest pieces to the last, these works are imbued with his sincerity, depth of feeling, wit, lively exuberance and very Gallic charm.” See comments on individual tracks on the CD insert.