Poulenc is a French surname and composer surname (Erik Satie, Francis Poulenc). In music contexts it refers to the French composer Francis Poulenc (1899–1963). The word is typically used as a proper noun with French pronunciation; in English discourse it’s often pronounced in a way that approximates its French origin rather than anglicized. It’s recognized in scholarly and concert contexts and often appears in program notes and discussions of 20th‑century music.
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