Marin Marais

See also: Marsh (homonymy)

Marin Marais was a violist or gambist (playing musician of the Viole of gamba) and Compositeur French of the period baroque.

Biography

Marin Marais was born in Paris the May 31st 1656 within a modest family: his/her parents are Vincent Marais, shoe-maker and Catherine Bellanger. Only the brother of Vincent, priest, is of a higher social environment.

In 1667, Marin Marais becomes child of chorus to Saint-Germain-the Auxerrois where it will meet Michel-Richard de Lalande (also child of chorus) and François Lalouette (vicar). At sixteen years, it voluntarily leaves Saint-Germain-the Auxerrois and tries to improve near Holy-Dove with bass viol which it learned during his formation of child of chorus. This one, perhaps feeling threatened by the great talent of the young musician says to him at the end of six months that it can nothing learn to him moreover! Titon of Tillet reports that Marin Marais would have then hidden under the study installed in the garden of Holy Dove to try to bore the secrecies of this Master but would have been discovered and driven out at the end of some time by this last.

Marsh enters then the orchestra of the royal Académie of music directed by Lalouette - perhaps besides thanks to the influence of this one. The director of the royal Academy of music was then Lully.

In 1676, it marries Catherine Darnicourt with whom it would have had (according to Titon of Tillet) nineteen children; one found the trace of thirteen children in any case, the last having been Jerome. The part " The tomb for Marsh Cadet" was probably written for him. Marin Marais obtains in 1679 a load of “player of viol of the chamber music” in the Music of the king (Louis XIV). It will cumulate this load with a career of musician to the Opera during forty years.

It is in 1685 that Marin Marais starts to write parts for viol; a first book appears in 1686. It is this same year that he undertakes to write for the scene the dramatic Idylle which will meet a great success but whose only the words were found.

After the death of Jean-Baptiste Lully, who gives to the type-setters a greater freedom to make play their works, Marais written Alcide (booklet of Jean-Galbert de Campistron), in collaboration with Louis Lully (oldest son of Jean-Baptiste) who will be represented in 1693 with a great success.

It occurs in parallel as violist with other musicians of the court at Louis XIV but also of its entourage (duke of Burgundy, Madam de Montespan; M {{me}} of Maintenon, etc). It is in these terms that Madam de Sévigné returned account to his/her daughter in a letter of 1696 of such a meeting of music:

“young people, to have fun danced with the songs, which is at present strong of use at the Court. Played which wanted, and which also wanted the ear lent to the pretty concert of Vizé, Marais, Descoteaux and Philibert. After that one caught midnight and the marriage was celebrated in the vault of the hotel of Créquy. ”

A book published in 1692, Parts in trio for the flutes, violins and above of viol , watch the repertory used by Marsh for these concerts at the court.

In 1701, Marais has to direct a very great ceremony for the cure of the dolphin, bringing together two hundred and fifty musicians and singers during whom will be interpreted, inter alia, two of its motets: Dominates salvum FAC regem and another which one does not know the title.

After this important service, he becomes permanent leader to the opera towards 1704. He will still write Alcyone , tragedy in music (represented in 1706) which will meet also a great success.

He knows then a period minus ostentation with the failure of Sémélé which will be its last lyric work. In addition the new ones and brilliant violists come to dispute his supremacy of violist and type-setter: Louis de Caix d' Hervelois and especially Antoine Forqueray.

In 1708, Marais requires and obtains that his/her oldest son, Vincent, take again his load of violist near the king. It however continues to play court until the death of Louis XIV, after whom his activities are restricted. It however continues to teach and practice its instrument and lives in a certain ease. Almost a year day for day after the death of his/her oldest daughter, the August 4th 1727, it dies in its turn the August 15th 1728.

Work

Instrumental

Parts for viol

He wrote nearly 600 parts for viol, divided into five books, each one of the latter including/understanding, inter alia, forty continuations, with sometimes of the parts of characters like the Tombeau for Mister of Holy-Dove , the Tombeau for Mister de Lully , the Table of the operation of the size , etc…
  • Pièces with one and two viols (1686)
  • continuous Basses of the parts to one and two viols with an increase in several particular parts in partition (1689)
  • Pièces of viols, Second book (1701)
  • Parts of viol, Third book (1711)
  • Parts with one and three viols, Fourth book (1717)
  • Parts of viol, Fifth book (1725)

Parts in trio

The musician is one of the first, in France, to have written parts in trio.
  • Parts in trio for the flutes, violins and above of viol with the low one continues (1692)
  • the Range and other pieces of symphony for the violin, the viol and the harpsichord (1723)

The tragedies in music

  • Alcide (1693) (in collaboration with Louis de Lully)
  • ARIANE and Bacchus (1696)
  • Alcyone (1706)
  • Sole (1709)

Random links:Villenoy | 1966 in science | Sophie of Wurtemberg | Blue of China | Feeling (song) | La_Californie_méridionale