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Diese „Suitte“, aus welcher der zweite Teil seines IV. Buchs besteht, ist speziell den fortgeschrittensten Gambisten gewidmet, wie Marin Marais selbst erklärte: „Die im Gambespielen Bewanderte werden Stücke vorfinden, die ihnen zunächst sehr schwierig vorkommen mögen, mit etwas Umgang und Übung jedoch rasch vertraut werden. Ich habe sie auch komponiert, um die Fertigkeiten jener in Anspruch zu nehmen, die keine Vorliebe für einfache Stücke haben, sondern vielmehr die schwer auszuführenden vorziehen.“
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This “Suitte”, which constitutes the second part of Book IV, is specially dedicated to the more accomplished violists, of whom Marin Marais writes “advanced viol players will find pieces which, although apparently very difficult at first sight, will, with a little attention and practice, become familiar to them. I have written them in such a way as to stretch the skill of those who do not like easy pieces, but often prefer technically difficult pieces instead.” In terms of its originality of presentation, the audacity of its effects and the aptness of the different characters representing the “Goûts Etrangers”, the Suite has no equal in the Baroque repertoire. The extreme virtuosity of many of the pieces contrasts with the apparent simplicity and profound emotion of others, such as La Rêveuse and Le Badinage. But, thanks to their unfailingly refined and highly developed harmonies, their daring and incisive rhythms, and, above all, the pure and natural singing quality of their melodic line, they all abound in vitality and grace. That grace, “more beautiful than beauty itself” which, to quote La Fontaine, “touches the soul and fills it with resonance”. As we study, play, record and listen to this marvellous music, we can appreciate more fully the appositeness of Evrard Titon du Tillet’s words in his Posthumous Eulogy (1732) of Marin Marais (2): “It is fair to say that Marais raised the viol to its highest degree of perfection, and that he was the first to make the instrument’ known in all its range and beauty, thanks both to the large number of excellent pieces that he wrote for it and his admirable skill in playing them…”
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