Norbert Moret was born into a farmers family in Ménières (Haute-Broye, Freiburg). He completed his undergraduate studies at the 'Collège Saint-Michel' in Freiburg. He studied piano, theory of harmony and Gregorian chants at Freiburg Conservatory. From 1948 until 1950 he lived in Paris where he studied under Olivier Messiaen, Arthur Honegger, Guy de Lioncourt and René Leibowitz. From 1950 until 1951 he trained with the orchestra and at the library of the Vienna Philharmonic under Wilhelm Furtwängler. On returning to Freiburg he was appointed positions of conducting the church choir, teaching at the secondary school for boys and finally teaching instrumental music at the teacher training school from 1965 until 1982.
He won the prize of the Swiss Association of Musicians and the European prize for music. In 1990 he was awarded the Doctor honoris causa by the University of Freiburg.
Work list
Psaume 85 (1966)
Instrumentation: for tenor, choir, two trumpets and organ
Duration: 12' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Concerto pour cordes, trompette et piano (1970)
Duration: 9' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Germes en éveil (1973)
Instrumentation: for soprano, flute, choir and two percussion
Texts: Thérèse Harvey-Loup
I. Elle - II. Guerre - III. Soleil-Feu.
Duration: 11' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Gastlosen (1974)
Instrumentation: for organ
...I have set myself free from traditional formal organ writing, where nolens volens, the principle of imitation, or the fugue, if one so wishes, plays a role which I believe to be exaggerated.
Duration: 15' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Toi (1974)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
Texts: Thérèse Harvey-Loup
Text: Thérèse Loup.
Duration: 16' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Rituels (1975)
Instrumentation: for harpsichord
'Crève-coeur' - 'Pluie' - 'Message' - 'Mille et un soleils de joie'
Duration: 9' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Couleurs de temps changées (1975)
Instrumentation: for piano
I. Sur trois marches de marbre rose - II. Stèle - III. Folie.
Duration: 8' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Cinq pièces (1976)
Instrumentation: for soprano, piano and brass (two trumpets and two trombones)
Texts: Norbert Moret
Text: Norbert Moret.
Duration: 19' 00"
Edition Norbert Moret
rue Marcello 7 CH-1700 Fribourg
Hymnes de silence (1976-1977)
Instrumentation: for string orchestra, organ, three trombones and four percussionists
'Tempête de vie' - 'Solitude vierge' - 'Fusée vers l'Etoile'
Duration: 30' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Temps (1977-1978)
Instrumentation: for baritone solo, string orchestra and two trumpets
Texts: Norbert Moret
I.: ‘Temps de l'absurde’, ‘Parcours intérieur I’, ‘Chanson’; II.: ‘Non-Temps’, ‘Parcours intérieur II’; III.: ‘Temps de l'Etoile’. "Not so much a meditation as a tentative question and an imploring cry in consideration of daily violence, hopelessness and uncertainty, hypocrisy and stupidity, the fading of the individual and society, which so betrays the overall decline of the world."
Duration: 40' 00"
Edition Norbert Moret
rue Marcello 7 CH-1700 Fribourg
Suite à l'image du temps (1979)
Instrumentation: for two string orchestras
I. Pourquoi - II. Ombre dansante du songe - III. Abîme - IV. Extase - V. Aux quatre vents.
Duration: 21' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Two love poems (1978-1980)
Lyrical scenes
Instrumentation: for soprano solo, violoncello and orchestra (0.2.1.ca.0.3/0.3.3.0/4perc/str)
Texts: Walt Whitman
On the theme of Tristan and Isolde. Based on 'Leaves of Grass' by Walt Whitman: 'My love' - 'With my Inebriate Soul'.
Duration: 42' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Mendiant du ciel bleu (1980-1981)
Three visions evoking Man
Instrumentation: for soprano solo, two children's choirs, girl's choir, large choir and orchestra (0.3(ca).0.3(cbn/4.3.3.0/4perc.3church bells/3org/str)
Texts: Norbert Moret
For the 500th anniversary of Fribourg's entry into the Swiss Confederation.
Duration: 45' 00"
Edition Norbert Moret
rue Marcello 7 CH-1700 Fribourg
Double concerto (1981)
Instrumentation: for violin, violoncello and chamber orchestra (0.0.0.0/2.2.0.0/2perc/str)
"...I desperately wanted to write a composition free from angst and oppression and, in line with this, dreams and joy are expressed in the leading part."
Duration: 22' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Immortelles de Jean (1981-1982)
Instrumentation: for speaker and chamber ensemble (portative organ, regal, harpsichord, violin, double-bass, trumpet, bass clarinet)
Texts: Tristan Corbière
For these works I have turned to recitative and not simply a musical setting of the words; music is already inherent in the poems of Tristan Corbiere. When I came to add new sounds to them, I found that this was only feasible from the outer idea, to complete the poem through strong stereotypes, and individualistic sound colours, allowing them to blend with each other.
Duration: 8' 00"
Edition Norbert Moret
rue Marcello 7 CH-1700 Fribourg
Visitations. Opera in one Movement (1981-1982)
Opera in one act
Instrumentation: for Mezzo-soprano, Tenor,
Texts: Norbert Moret
People: Clytaemnestra, Electra, Orestes.
Duration: 25' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Sacher-Serenade (1982)
Instrumentation: for quartet (vibraphone, bass clarinet, regal organ, positive organ)
Duration: 14' 00"
Edition Norbert Moret
rue Marcello 7 CH-1700 Fribourg
Tragiques (1982-1983)
Instrumentation: for orchestra (2.2.3(bcl).3(cbn)/0.0.0.0/4perc/str)
'Ceins ton front' - 'Au temple de l'amour' - 'Vent d'ouest'
Duration: 25' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Triple Concerto for Flute, Oboe, Harp and String orchestra (1984)
I. Nuée blessée - II. Bulles dansantes - chimères cristallines - III. Quand passe le dieu.
Duration: 26' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre (1985)
Instrumentation: (0.0.2(bcl)0/1.1.0.0/1perc) and string sextet
- Chanson (pour passer le temps)
- Chanson d’amour
- Chanson du vent d’ouest
Duration: 26' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Mille et un soleils de joie (1985)
Instrumentation: for chamber orchestra (2.2.2.2/2.2.0.0/perc/str)
Duration: 1' 40"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Diotimas Liebeslieder (1986-1987)
Instrumentation: for soprano and orchestra (2.2.3(bcl).3(cbn)/4.3.3.0/4perc) and a string sextet
Texts: Susette Gontard
Texts are taken from the letters of Susette Gontard to Hölderlin.
Duration: 23' 00"
Edition Norbert Moret
rue Marcello 7 CH-1700 Fribourg
"En Rêve" - Concerto pour violon et orchestre de chambre (1988)
Instrumentation: (2hn/cel/2perc/str)
I. Lumière vaporeuse - II. Dialogue avec l'Etoile - III. Azur fascinant (Sérénade tessinoise).
Duration: 20' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Trois pièces (1988)
Instrumentation: for chamber orchestra (2(pic).1.1.1/1.1.0.0/2perc/str)
I. Sacrifice - II. Elégie - III. Cloches de vie.
These three pieces more or less illustrate the experience of Hiroshima 1945: An outbreak of tragedy, suppressed gasps and painful laments of the victims, concluding with a song of hope.
Duration: 12' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Symphonies pour une fête académique (1989)
Instrumentation: for orchestra (2.1.2.bcl.0/3.2.2.0/3perc/10.10.8.8.6)
Duration: 14' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Triptyque pour les fêtes (1990)
Instrumentation: for a-cappella choir
Duration: 8' 30"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Veni Sancte Spititus (1990)
Instrumentation: for viola and organ
Duration: 8' 30"
Edition Norbert Moret
rue Marcello 7 CH-1700 Fribourg
Divertimento (1991-1992)
Instrumentation: for oboe, horn, violoncello, percussion and orchestra
I. Badinierie - II. Valse - III. Fête.
Duration: 17' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Sur le berceau d'un Chérubin (1992)
Instrumentation: for violin and harp
Duration: 6' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Deux mélodies (1993)
Instrumentation: for baritone and piano
Texts: Charles d'Orléans, Arthur Rimbaud
Text: Charles d'Orléans, Arthur Rimbaud.
Duration: 6' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Forêt enchantée (1993)
Instrumentation: for violoncello
Duration: 7' 00"
Edition Norbert Moret
rue Marcello 7 CH-1700 Fribourg
Sensations (1993-1994)
Concerto for guitar and chamber orchestra
I. Sur la pointe de la feuille - une perle de rosée frémissante - II. Ciel bleu sur blés d'or - III. Dans le ciel profond - une alouette trille l'espoir.
Duration: 18' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Concerto pour cor et orchestre (1994-1995)
Instrumentation: (1.1.1.1/0.1.0.0/2perc/str)
I. Le soir au fond des bois - II. Romance - III. Burlesque.
Duration: 21' 00"
Gérard Billaudot
14, rue de l'Echiquier F-75010 Paris Frankreich
Concerto No. 1 pour orgue et orchestre de chambre (1995-1996)