While recognized as a virtuoso in his day, Marin Marais had, until very recently, fallen into obscurity. An underrated but talented composer, Marais devoted his entire life to the viola da gamba, or viol, as it is known today. Apprenticed to the master Sainte-Colombe while in his teens, he achieved renown early in life and was appointed court composer ("Ordinarie de la Chambre du Roi") by Louis IV, the Sun King. Marais was only twenty-three years old at the time. Today, Marin Marais is widely recognized as the premier composer of works for the viol. To be sure, there have been other well-known composers who created pieces for the viol such as Couperin, Telemann, Bach, and Forqueray; but none devoted their creative powers solely to the service of the viol.

Thanks, in part, to Alain Còrneau's film,Tous les matins du monde, and to the brilliant artistry of musicians such as Jordi Savall, the Catalan violist, Marais' music is experiencing a rebirth, and a heretofore largely ignored composer has been returned to his rightful place in the pantheon of musical giants of the French Baroque. Click on one of the topics below to discover more about this incomparable artist.

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Web Page Developed and maintained by Manuel Michalowski,
E-mail: michm@ils.unc.edu Last updated: 1 July, 1997