since he was a virtuoso pianist, many of his works feature the piano, particularly his numerous chamber works which he wrote for nearly every orchestral instrument and standard ensemble. he was a skilled orchestrator, which was reflected in his use of tone colors. françaix wrote the majority of his earlier works for saxophone between the mid 1930s and the early 1960s. françaix wrote pieces in many of the major large musical forms, including concerti, symphonies, opera, theatre, ballet, and works drawing on traditions falling out of favor in the 20th century, such as the cantata. one of his oratorios, entitled "l'apocalypse selon st. jean" and written in 1939, "employs choral psalmody and full orchestra, with a second instrumental group that included saxophones, accordion, mandolin, and guitar (depicting hell); the work was performed at the iscm in vienna (1932) and palermo (1949)". though he often put his own modern spin on the old modes of expression, he was an avowed neoclassicist who rejected atonality and formless wanderings, and he drew from great literature of the past for his vocal settings. he also wrote ten film scores for director sacha guitry.