Although his mother was a fine pianist and he explored both the piano and composition as a teenager, Poulenc did not undertake serious training as a composer until 1921, following a brief stint in the military (just after the close of World War I). He studied for three years with the composer Charles Koechlin, and his output during this period included the ballet Les biches, the production of which received wide acclaim. These studies served mainly to reinforce his natural lyrical style, which often features straightforward melodies colored by occasional "wrong" notes. In this repsect, he shows the influence of Stravinsky's early neoclassical writing, and indeed Stravinsky's presence is subtly felt in many of Poulenc's works.
Although he did write serious music, including several liturgical choral works during the second half of his career, his most characteristic instrumental music seeks pleasant engagement with the audience, rather than profound metaphysical connection. As observed by Roger Nichols, writing in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, the concerto for two pianos fits this model perfectly: "[it] has no aim beyond entertainment, in which it succeeds completely." Poulenc's facility at the piano served him well during his composition of this piece, as well as at the premiere, where he shared the soloists' spotlight with his friend Jacques Février. The two pianists complement one another brilliantly, and Poulenc skillfully exploits the combined effect of the two pianos to achieve unusually full sonorities. The orchestral writing is similarly effective. Instruments are offered in extreme registers (flute and piccolo very low, oboes very high), and an unusual distribution of seven brass instruments (two horns, two trumpets, two trombones, and one tuba) provides a great range of possible sonorities while avoiding the danger of being overpowering.
Nichols' assessment that the concerto "has no aim beyond entertainment" is perhaps unkind. The piece has neoclassical roots, after all, and compositional skill for its own sake was embraced as a worthy goal during the late 18th century; no finer concerto for two pianos has appeared in the last two hundred years. Regardless of where one stands on this issue, however, the "complete success" of the work is beyond dispute.