Marin Marais
Marin Marais (1656–1728) was a French composer and master of the viola da gamba. His five books of Pièces de viole remain the summit of the French baroque viol repertoire.
In 1676 he was hired as a musician to the royal court of Versailles. In 1679 he was appointed ordinaire de la chambre du roy pour la viole, a title he kept until 1725.
He wrote five books of Pièces de viole (1686–1725), generally suites with basso continuo, and was later remembered as the man who “founded and firmly established the empire of the viol.” His other works include a book of Pièces en trio (1692) and four operas, among them Alcyone (1706), noted for its tempest scene.
Compositions by Marin Marais appear on
Uncovered Ground
This first collection of concert works by Felicity Wilcox gathers the cream of her chamber music from 2014 to 2018. It opens with the celebrated bass clarinet solo People of this Place, written for Jason Noble, and includes commissions for Ensemble Offspring, Ironwood and the Australia Ensemble, plus a movement from her first string quartet.
two
Recorder player Genevieve Lacey and percussionist Poul Høxbro present a programme spanning medieval dance, Irish folk melody, Baroque virtuosity and contemporary Australian works.
Exquisite Harmonies
Exquisite Harmonies features works for viola da gamba and harpsichord, and several harpsichord solos, largely from the French Baroque. The exceptions are Telemann, Abel and Australian composer Troy Russell. A nice treat is an improvised harpsichord fantasia in the style of Telemann.
Nordic Moods & Baroque Echoes
A collaboration between Duo Langborn/Wendel and The Marais Project, this album blends baroque repertoire, new compositions and arrangements, and folk music from Australia and Sweden.
Australian Monody
The Marais Project is joined by countertenor Russell Harcourt for a collection of largely Australian songs and instrumental works, spanning light and darkness, love and loss.
Two
Two brings together Marais Project founding members Jennifer Eriksson, viola da gamba, and Tommie Andersson, gallichon, theorbo and baroque guitar. Each plays alternate brackets of solos before they join in a splendid suite by Marin Marais.
The Garden Party
The Marais Project’s anniversary disc The Garden Party has a festive flavour, mixing world-premiere Marais arrangements and Eriksson’s title track with earlier Move recordings across French baroque, Swedish folk and South American song.
Spinning Forth
The title points to music still to come. The programme gathers French baroque viola da gamba repertoire with Swedish roots and newly commissioned Australian works, spinning forth in fresh directions.
Smörgåsbord
The Marais Project’s fifth disc gathers Swedish folk, Bellman songs, Roman and Marais chamber works, a jazz pavane and even ABBA, all heard for the first time in Australia on period instruments.
Lady Sings the Viol
The concept behind Lady Sings the Viol was a CD of “covers”: five singers, alone and together, take songs from 1300 to the present, from Piaf and Schubert to John Paul Jones and Elena Kats-Chernin.
Love Reconciled
A landmark in Australian early-music performance, The Marais Project’s Love Reconciled is a recording to return to often and savour deeply.