MUSIC SATURDAY - MARIN MARAIS

“Nothing’s so dainty sweet as lovely melancholy.” - Francis Beaumont
 

Marin Marais (31 May 1656, Paris – 15 August 1728, Paris) was a French composer and viol player. He studied composition with Jean-Baptiste Lully, often conducting his operas, and with master of the bass viol Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe for six months. He was hired as a musician in 1676 to the royal court of Versailles. He did quite well as court musician, and in 1679 was appointed ordinaire de la chambre du roy pour la viole, a title he kept until 1725.
 

He was a master of the basse de viol, and the leading French composer of music for the instrument. He wrote five books of “Pièces de Viole” (1686–1725) for the instrument, generally suites with basso continuo. These were quite popular in the court, and for these he was remembered in later years as he who “founded and firmly established the empire of the viol” (Hubert Le Blanc, 1740). His other works include a book of “Pièces en Trio” (1692 – herewith presented) and four operas (1693–1709), “Alcyone” (1706) being noted for its tempest scene.
 

Here are Marin Marais’ “Pièces en Trio”, peformed by Musica Pacifica.