Who was Marin Marais?
Q: Who was Marin Marais?
A: Marin Marais was a French composer and viol player who is regarded as one of the great French musicians of the Baroque period.
Q: How did he learn to play the viol?
A: He was educated in a choir school where he was taught to play the viol, and then learnt from Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe, a famous bass viol player. In six months he was said to be better than his teacher.
Q: What position did he hold at the royal court of Versailles?
A: He was hired as a musician in 1676 to play at the royal court of Versailles and appointed "ordinaire de la chambre du roy pour la viole", a title he kept until 1725.
Q: What instrument did Marais specialize in?
A: He specialized in playing the basse de viol, and wrote many pieces for that instrument which established him as one of its most important composers.
Q: What other works did Marais compose besides Pièces de viole?
A: Besides Pièces de viole, Marais also composed a book of Pièces en trio (1692) and four operas (1693-1709). Alcyone (1706) is well known for its storm scene.
Q: Who wrote about Marais' work?
A: Titon du Tillet wrote about Marais' work in his book Le Parnasse françois, describing pieces such as The Labyrinth and La Gamme [The Scale].
Q: Are there any published editions of his music available today?
A: Yes, facsimiles of all five books of Marais' Pièces de viole are published by Éditions J.M. Fuzeau, and there is also a complete critical edition of his instrumental works in seven volumes edited by John Hsu published by Broude Brothers.
