The music is light, even at times satirical, and overflowing with popular turns and dance rhythms. (Ravel is said to have admitted to Poulenc that he envied his ability to “write his own folksongs.”)

 It is in four movements: Allegro con fuoco, Molto vivace, Andante cantabile, Très vite et très gai.  Sinfonietta is his only symphonic work, and is as close as Poulenc ever got to writing a symphony. It is full of his trademark charm and wit, and deserves to be heard more often.