Person
Vuillemin, Louis (1879-1929)
Nantes (Loira Atlántico, Francia) 1879-12-19 - Paris 1929-04-02
French composer, orchestra director, musicologist and pianist.
Born on 19 December 1879 in Nantes (France), son of Charles Vuillemin, musical editor, and of Louise Amélie Didion. He married the soprano Lucy Vuillemin, who adopted his surname, and with whom he formed a musical tandem. He started his studies in his hometown, and he entered the Conservatoire of Paris in 1899, where he was student of Xavier Leroux. He was also a student of Paul Ladmirault and Gabriel Fauré. In 1909 he premiered with success, in Niza's Opera, the lyric drama in two acts "Le double voile" (1910), work with text by René Fauchois. After the First World War, he gave conferences about French art, and organized festivals around figures such as Claude Debussy and Gabriel Fauré. He directed "Psyché" by Manuel de Falla in 1926, piece about which he also wrote an article for which he received a greeting from the composer. He was member of the Association des Compositeurs Bretons, together with Guy Ropartz and Paul Ladmirault; and collaborated as a musical critic in "Comœdia", "Chantecler", "Le Courrier Musical", "Paris-Soir and "La Lanterne". In his compositions he tried to show his Breton heritage, and included Celtic evocations in pieces like "En Kernéo" (1922), premiered in the Concerts Pasdeloup. He also created, among other works, the ballet "Danses de Sylla" (1912), about a text by Alfred Mortier, and "Soirs armoricains. Études d'après nature" (1913-1918) for piano. He also wrote the first biography of Gabriel Fauré (1914), and published studies about Charles Gounod and Ernest Reyer; also the book "L'Héroïque pastorale" (1914-1918). He was named knight of the Légion d'Honneur. He passed away on 2 April 1929 in Paris.