Francis Poulenc, one of the most famous names in French music of the twentieth century, was an outstanding pianist who composed for the instrument throughout his long career. His scores for solo and piano duet include two highly attractive Sonatas, both characterised by those bittersweet melodies that form an essential ingredient of Poulenc’s most popular works. In the early part of his career Poulenc experimented with unusual combinations of wind instruments. The three sonatas included on this disc reveal a highly attractive, yet little known part of the composer’s output.