Les Empires de la lune

An original contemporary work in five movements, for two groups of musicians without instruments. The conductor will stand in the middle, with his back to the audience, like an arbiter and officiant. The movements follow one another without interruption.

All sounds emitted will be "full" and homogeneous. Thus, one must prepare oneself individually and collectively to develop this sound quality. There is no singing in this work. The notes in the staves describe the relative intonations of a spoken language, or the different modes of vocal, percussive, or gestural play. The silences will be inhabited by a concentrated, attentive attitude. As if, at times, the Moon were speaking.

In the Toucher (Touch) movement, each performer strikes their own body at the locations indicated on the score.
In Goûter (Taste), the musicians focus on the sounds of the mouth, tongue, and swallowing. The onomatopoeia of the text should be interpreted in this sense.
Watching is largely silent, with the musicians behaving individually like mimes or silent film actors, exaggerating gestures and attitudes.
In Humer (Humer), the musicians favor the sounds of breathing, blowing, and aerial sounds. The onomatopoeia of the text should be interpreted in this sense.
In Ecouter (Listen), the musicians will individually adopt a stage performance that shows the audience a restlessness and a listening tension towards the flies, in the direction of the Moon, listening and looking constantly towards the top of the stage. It is also a “potpourri,” summarizing previous modes of performance.

Commissioned by the Maurice Ravel Conservatory, Paris.