About...
At the heart of Martin Moulin's music lies the voice, the voice in all its forms. Chamber operas, madrigal books, solos and choral pieces are its most natural expression. And when he approaches instrumental writing, it is envisaged as an extension of the vocal domain (instrumentalists are most often led to speak, hum, utter sounds, etc.).
This love of the voice is interwoven with a love of language, of languages. Martin Moulin's work advances and meanders according to the texts that have had a powerful impact on him, some used in his music, others lying in the background. These include (in order of appearance): Marcel Schwob, Fabrice Villard, Franz Kafka, Paul Celan, Reiner Kunze, Pierre Michon, Julio Llamazares, Dino Campana, Tone Avenstroup and Marion Richez.
His practice of analysing past scores has gradually blurred with his practice of composition. This is how reinventions (a term borrowed from composer and double bassist Stefano Scodanibbio) came about: rooted in an older musical work, but resolutely personal (they are neither arrangements nor orchestrations, and the original may not even be recognisable), they now punctuate Martin Moulin's work. Die schöne Müllerin (for two sopranos and ensemble, 2014-2016, based on Schubert – commissioned by the Scène Conventionnée du Mans), En attendant Schippel (for ensemble, 2019, based on Schönberg, Schumann, Purcell... – commissioned by Radio France for Anne Montaron's programme Création Mondiale), Kinderszenen (for ensemble, 2019, based on Schumann – commissioned by the Ensemble Offrandes) and Liederzyklus (for speaking double bassist, 2023-2024, based on Schumann – commissioned by Laurène Helstroffer-Durantel).
Finally, there are the encounters that shape the path. They are countless and decisive. The one with director François Tanguy was undoubtedly at the origin of a number of choices: to settle in Le Mans, to join an ensemble, the Ensemble Offrandes, based at La Fonderie in Le Mans since 2010. This is where most of Martin Moulin's compositions are created, as well as a highly original musical series, Fièvre du samedi matin, a workshop for listening to creative music, which attracts a curious audience (140 episodes will have been broadcast by September 2024).
Although he studied at the CNSMD in Lyon and Paris between 1999 and 2005, Martin Moulin remained self-taught in composition, a discipline that has been underlying his musical career. Convinced that composition cannot be taught, he has nevertheless been passionate for years about new, playful and demanding forms of transmission at the Conservatoire du Mans and the Pont Supérieur (PESSV) in Rennes. It is less a question of teaching than of listening to the magnificent trial and error of music in the making. The Académie des jeunes compositrices et compositeurs de l'Ensemble Offrandes, which he has led since 2016 with Bernard Cavanna, Elvio Cipollone, José Manuel López López and Emmanuel Lascoux, is an example of this constant support for the music of the younger generations.
WORKS BY MARTIN MOULIN
N.B. This is only a selection of pieces, those that seemed characteristic and/or constituted a significant advance in Martin Moulin's compositional work.
IN PROGRESS...
*GENARÍN investigative opera, based on El entierro de Genarín by Julio Llamazares and a collection of works // Commissioned by Ensemble Offrandes // Premiere scheduled for June 2026, La Fonderie (Le Mans) and Les Moulins de Paillard (Poncé-sur-le-Loir) // Videographer David Ayoun is creating a film about the creative process behind Genarín, in parallel with the musical project
*LE LOMBRIC DU MONDE book and CD for young children, based on texts by Edwige Bage and Sophie Mourot // Commissioned by Compagnie à trois branches // Recording planned for 2026
*BABBLING BROOKE stage music for Shelly de Vito's creation // Commissioned by Moulins de Paillard // Creation at the end of June 2025, Les Moulins de Paillard
2025
*LES YEUX CLOS for one actress and five percussionists [18']. // Commissioned by Ensemble Offrandes, in collaboration with Percussions Claviers de Lyon // Premiere on March 1st 2025, La Fonderie (Le Mans) with Ensemble Offrandes and PCL, in a programme combining music by Scriabin (original transcriptions by Gilles Dumoulin and Martin Moulin) and texts by Malcolm de Chazal
2024
*SECOND BOOK OF MADRIGALS for 5 singers and electroacoustics, based on Dino Campana's Chants orphiques [1h20] // Commissioned by Ensemble Offrandes, Writing grant from the Ministry of Culture 2023 // Collaboration with Christophe Havard (electroacoustics) and Christophe Mileschi (Italian questions) / / Premiere on June 1st 2024, La Fonderie (Le Mans) by Ensemble Offrandes: Amélie Raison (soprano), Laura Jarrell (mezzo), Marine Fribourg (alto), Ivar Hervieu (tenor), Olivier Bizot (bass), Christophe Havard (electroacoustics) and Martin Moulin (external ear)
*LÀ-BAS, SUR LA TOUR for speaking/singing double bass player, based on Homer's The Iliad [5']. // Premiere on May 29, 2025, Festival Aux quatre coins du mot, La Charité-sur-Loire, by Laurène Hesltroffer-Durantel
*VIDIEL’A for young audiences for two voices, in an installation by Marie-Noëlle Deverre [25’] // Premiere April 17, 2024 Le Quai des arts, Argentan (61) // Commissioned by Compagnie à trois branches // Performers Edwige Bage and Sophie Mourot, lighting Florian Laze
2023
*LIEDERZYKLUS for speaking/singing double bassist, very free paraphrase of Schumann's Op. 24 [approx. 20 min.] // Commissioned by Laurène Helstroffer-Durantel // Premiere 29 May 2025, Festival Aux quatre coins du mot, La Charité-sur-Loire, by Laurène Helstroffer-Durantel
*ONDAS DO MAR for two voices, based on Emily Dickinson, medieval hymns and traditional texts [8 min] // Commissioned by Compagnie à trois branches and Collectif Tunc // Premiered on November 15, 16 and 17, 2025, Décal’quai, Montreux (Switzerland), by Marine Le Mouël (soprano) and Sophie Mourot (mezzo) as part of their show Phalaina
2022
*ACH, STRAF MICH NICHT IN DEINEM ZORN for 8-voice choir and viola da gamba [8’] // Commissioned by Ensemble Seguido // Premiered in July 2022, Sablé-sur-Sarthe church, Seguido vocal ensemble, conducted by Valérie Fayet, viola da gamba Delphine Le Gall
2021
*LE MONDE EST ROND musical and theatrical proposal [40’], co-written with director François Tanguy // Premiere December 18 and 19, 2021, La Fonderie, Le Mans // Premiere Théâtre des 13 Vents, CDN de Montpellier, May 21, 2022 // Performers Frode Bjørnstad, Erik Gerken and Olivier Mingam, lighting Jean Guillet
*LE LIVRE DE MADRIGAUX for 5 singers, based on Dino Campana's Chants orphiques [1h10] // Commissioned by Ensemble Offrandes // Collaboration Christophe Mileschi (Italian questions) // Premiere September 4, 2021, La Fonderie, Le Mans by Ensemble Offrandes: Amélie Castel (soprano), Sophie Mourot (mezzo), Renaud Mascret (tenor), Maxime Battistella (baritone), Olivier Bizot (bass) and Martin Moulin (external ear)
2020
*TOUIK-TOUIK PHILOMÈLE a piece for very young children, for two singer-actresses // Commissioned by Compagnie à trois branches // Premiered on November 23, 2020, Théâtre Épidaure, Bouloire (72) // Performers Edwige Bage and Sophie Mourot, directed by Martin Moulin and Margot Châron, lighting by Florian Laze
*SCHIPPEL LE BOURGEOIS chamber opera for 1 actor and 7 musicians, based on Carl Sternheim [1h10] // Commissioned by Ensemble Offrandes // Premiere January 14 and 15, 2020, Les Quinconces-l’ESPAL, Scène Nationale du Mans by Ensemble Offrandes: Patrick Condé (actor), Laure Balteaux (cello, voice), Samuel Boré (piano, voice), Stéphane Charlot (saxophones, vocals), Jean-Christophe Garnier (percussion, vocals), Guillaume Grimal (clarinet, vocals), Olivier Mingam (violin, vocals) and Martin Moulin (conductor), lighting by Jean Guillet, external perspective by Marie-Hélène Roig
2019
*KINDERSZENEN reinventions for actor and ensemble, based on Robert Schumann [35’] // Premiere November 4, 2019, Auditorium d'Alençon (61) by the Ensemble Offrandes: Patrick Condé (actor), Laure Balteaux (cello, vocals), Samuel Boré (piano, vocals), Stéphane Charlot (saxophones, vocals), Jean-Christophe Garnier (percussion, voice), Guillaume Grimal (clarinet, voice), Olivier Mingam (violin, voice) and Martin Moulin (conductor)
*EN ATTENDANT SCHIPPEL suite for actor and ensemble [10’] // Commissioned by Radio France, as part of Anne Montaron's programme Création Mondiale // Premiered on Radio France on October 24, 2019 by the Ensemble Offrandes: Patrick Condé (actor), Laure Balteaux (cello, voice), Samuel Boré (piano, voice), Stéphane Charlot (saxophones, voice), Jean-Christophe Garnier (percussion, voice), Guillaume Grimal (clarinet, voice), Olivier Mingam (violin, voice) and Martin Moulin (conductor)
2016
*SILBERDISTEL solo for voice, based on Reiner Kunze [30’ to 40’] // Premiere Les Quinconces-l’ESPAL, Festival des Nuits de la Voix, February 4, 2016 by Juliette de Massy (soprano) and Martin Moulin (external ear)
2015
*LA BELLE MEUNIÈRE reinventions for 2 sopranos and ensemble [1h15] // Commissioned by Les Quinconces-l’ESPAL // Premiere May 1st and 2nd, 2015 for the inauguration of the new Théâtre des Quinconces, Scène Nationale, Le Mans by the Ensemble Offrandes: Laure Balteaux (cello, voice), Samuel Boré (piano, voice), Stéphane Charlot (saxophones, voice), Juliette de Massy (soprano), Jean-Christophe Garnier (percussion, vocals), Eric Le Chartier (trombone, sackbut, vocals), Olivier Mingam (violin, vocals), Martin Moulin (conductor), Nicolas Nageotte (clarinets, vocals) and Poline Renou (soprano) accompanied by numerous other professional and amateur artists.
2013
*MAURICE GODOUNOV chamber opera for baritone and ensemble, based on Fabrice Villard (and other authors) [1 hour] // Commissioned by Ensemble Offrandes // Premiered on November 28, 2013, La Fonderie, Le Mans by Arnaud Marzorati and Ensemble Offrandes: Olivier Mingam (violin, vocals), Martin Moulin (prepared piano, conductor, vocals), Fabrice Villard (clarinets, vocals), lighting by Gérard Venturelli
2012
*COMME UNE GOUTTE DE MERCURE, UN PEU INQUIÈTE reinventions for ensemble (based on György Kurtág's Játékok) with texts by Celan and Kafka [1h05] // Commissioned by Ensemble Offrandes // Premiered on December 4, 2012 at La Fonderie, Le Mans, by Ensemble Offrandes: Samuel Boré (harmonium, ondes Martenot, toy piano, vocals), Stéphane Charlot (saxophones, vocals), Nicolas Courtin (guitar, vocals), Anne Etienvre (piano, vocals), Jean-Christophe Garnier (percussion, vocals), Lionel Le Fournis (percussion, vocals), Sylvie Médigue-Courtin (piano, vocals), Olivier Mingam (violin, vocals), Martin Moulin (conductor, vocals) and Poline Renou (soprano)
2010
*ISTANBLUE, L’HOMME EN CREUX, for saz player (Turkish lute) and saxophonist, based on poems by Romuald Liteau-Lego [approx. 25 min.] // Commissioned by the CPFI (Centre du Patrimoine et de la Facture Instrumentale) // Premiere December 4, 2010, MLC des Saulnières, Le Mans with Stéphane Charlot (saxophones, voice) and Kutlai Köcsöy (saz, voice)
2007
*KREIS A) solo piano [3’] // Premiere October 22, 2007 by Samuel Boré // Auditorium d’Alençon (61)
*KERIS B) solo piano, vibraphone, two marimbas, gong [8’] // Recorded in February 2008 for Anne Bernard’s film, Naissance d’une lumière
2006
*OR for solo soprano, solo prepared piano, symphony orchestra on tape, based on Marcel Schwob [22’] // Commissioned by the Conservatories of Le Mans and Alençon // Premiered on April 8, 2006 at the Alençon Auditorium and on June 29, 2006 at the Théâtre du Mans, Élodie Fonnard (soprano) and Samuel Boré (piano)
2005
*HYMNES À LA NUIT for trumpet trio, based on Novalis [4’] // Premiered at the Alençon Auditorium, June 2006
2001
*LA VOIX DE MONELLE cantata for solo soprano, mixed choir, instrumental quartet and jazz trio, based on Marcel Schwob [10’] // Commissioned by Pierre-Line Maire for his DNESM in choral conducting at the CNSMD in Lyon // Premiered on June 19, 2001, Marie Fraschina (soprano), with choreography by students from the CNSMD
*UNE HEURE DU MATIN for cornet, tams and narrator, based on Nâzim Hikmet [4’] / Commissioned by Pierre Duthot for the trumpet DNESM // Premiered in May 2001, CNSMD, Lyon
2000
*VOZ for solo piano [2’] // Commissioned by the CNSMD, Lyon // Premiered at the CNSMD sight-reading competition, Lyon, 2000
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Photo credit: Poline Renou