about the project

our inspiration and goals

What is the Marais Project?

The Marais Project is a celebration of French music culture centred around the work of Marin Marais, the great French virtuoso viola da gamba performer and composer. By way of the project I hope to bring together all the arts in a unique way through performing the complete works of Marais over approximately 10 years. The first six concerts have featured a range of other art forms including French Court Dance, French poetry and contemporary Australian ceramics. I intend to branch out into other art forms as the Project progresses.

A Life’s Work

Who was Marin Marais and what is his musical legacy and, in particular, his legacy to the viola da gamba? Marais’ life (1656-1728) spanned a good portion of the mid-Baroque period. The full breadth of his genius is revealed in the five-volume work, “Piéces de Violes” which contains more than 600 individual pieces. Over the life of the Project I hope that we will be able to perform the majority of these works. In general, viol players have tended to focus on the popular suites such as the “La Folia” from Book II, “Grand Ballet” from Book III, or “Suitte du’ un goût Estrange” from Book IV, yet there are many other wonderful suites that remain largely unexplored in performance.

Why a Marin Marais Project?

In the year of the Sydney Olympics with all the emphasis on athletic achievement, I wanted to set myself a significant challenge. Eventually, I came up with the idea of establishing the Marais Project, an ongoing series of concerts that would promote the viola da gamba and its music, and extend my own technique and artistic stamina. In making this choice, two Australian musicians were an inspiration. Firstly, Gerard Willems’ recent example in recording the complete Beethoven sonatas, and secondly, Philip Swanton’s performance of all the Haydn keyboard sonatas.

The focus of my solo work in the last ten years has been the French baroque repertoire, as to me, this is the music that goes to the very heart of the instrument. Musically speaking, Marias is to me, the most gifted viol composer of this era. Marais’ five volumes also serve to chart the enormous changes in French instrumental music between 1686 when the first volume was published, and 1725 when the fifth and final book went to press.

How will I sustain the Project?

When one thinks about it, playing French Baroque gamba music is a fairly obscure thing to do under the harsh 21st century Australian sun! To keep up the artistic momentum I am attempting to be as imaginative as possible through using different art forms to assist in bringing the audience closer to the composer and his times. For example, in a number of the concerts I have been joined by Fiona Garlick and John Barnard from the Early Dance Consort. In addition, at other points in the Project I will explore the music of Marais’ contemporaries such as Forqueray.

I am sure that when Jordi Savall, the great Catalan gamba player, commenced his involvement with the soundtrack of the cult French film “Tous les matins du monde” (All the Mornings of the World) he had no idea how many people would become entranced with the gamba as a result. In a lesser way, it is my hope that through this Project many more Australians will also come to know and love the music of the viola da gamba and thereby enter into its rich, beautiful and soulful world.