Marin Marais

Marin Marais (1656 - 1726) was a French composer and master of the basse de viol, a large bowed string instrument with frets, and is an early leading composer for the instrument. He studied with Jean-Baptiste Lully, and with a renowned bass viol pedagogue Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe. He was hired as a musician in 1676 to the royal court of Versailles, and was appointed "ordinaire de la chambre du roy pour la viole" between 1679 and 1725.

His most important operatic work is Alcione, written in 1706, which contains a dramatic storm scene. His five collections of music for bass viol, composed between 1686 and 1725, were his most historically significant contribution along with his The Pieces en trio (1692) considered the first trio sonata in France. He died in 1728.