Marin Marais (1656-1728) was a French composer of music and the supreme master player of the viola da gamba whom history remembers for two key accomplishments:
- He composed some of the most beautiful music of the Baroque period.
- He biologically fathered 19 children with Catherine d'Amicourt, his one wife.
I immediately fell in love with the music of Marin Marais 30 years ago when I first watched the movie Tous les Matins du Monde (All the mornings of the world.) To my ears, nobody surpasses Jordi Savall’s interpretation and presentation of the music of Marin Marais. And Savall’s own musical compositions, featuring the viola da gamba, are superb statements that he is a worthy professional descendant of Marin Marais. Any of his recordings on AliaVox will bring pleasure to one who desires musical therapy and joy. This 5-disc SACD set, still available online, is a masterfully presented example of what happens when Marin Marais and Jordi Savall talk through the viola da gamba. Very highly recommended.