Ronde Française

Ronde Française is a kind of a scherzo. It has been originally composed for the piano and the organ transcription is by Gaston Choisnel (a parisian organist dead in 1921, who was also the co-chairman of the famous Editions Durand).

Ronde Française is very far from Boellmann's usual output and was very original when composed because it's in completely modal writing, which was quite unusual at this period (but became later fashionable with Tournemire, Duruflé, etc.).

It's both joyful and nostalgic (like many Francis Poulenc's compositions) and evokes :
- the Renaissance : modal dance, fresh spirit ;
- the romantic period by its scherzo-trio-scherzo form and by the broad lyrical theme of the central part ( 1:32 and after) ;
- the traditional music from Britanny : 6/8 + minor modal.

A change from Suite Gothique :-) :-)