Ten years go by before Marais presents a new work Alcyone in 1706. Joining forces with a talented author, Antoine Houdar de La Motte, the opera was a huge success. One of the most dramatic scenes in the opera was that of a storm, where the spectator could live the emotion of a boat sinking at sea. This opera was such a triumph that it enjoyed many revivals.

Marais’ next opera Sémélé, launched on the success of Alcyone, saw its first performance in 1709. This opera was a failure and therefore was Marais’ last.

A private life

Marais’ private life flourished, and he became the father to many children (Titon de Tillet claims 19!). His sons Vincent and Roland become proficient viol players like their father. His daughters also probably played the viol, one Marie Catherine Marais, married the composer Nicolas Bernier. Titon du Tillet tells us “In 1709, he (Marin Marais) presented his four sons to Louis le Grand and gave his Majesty a concert of his viol music played by himself and three of his sons. The fourth was still young, and he took care of putting the music on the stands and turning the pages. The King then listened to each son separately and said, ‘I’m happy with your children, but you are always Marais and their father. Monsieur and Madame the Duke and Duchess of Burgundy will hear the same concert tomorrow’”.

Marais’ autograph will from the same year, the 8th of June 1709, gives us insight into his calm manners, equitable spirit, and problems with his son Vincent, who would subsequently die alone and in great debt:

I the undersigned, having paid attention to the state of my family and considering that the King has, on behalf of the consideration and credit He bestows upon me, accorded to my eldest son Vincent the survival of the position as chamber musician to Himself which I presently hold, thereby placing him, through this grace to both Vincent and myself, in a much more advantageous situation than his brothers and sisters, deem it paternal prudence to leave the rest of my possessions to all my other children who will survive me. I believe my eldest son will not find this wrong [...] having done this in the spirit of equity and justice.

Marais’ dominance at court was affected by the arrival of a formidable young violist, Antoine Forqueray. Marais was said to play like an angel, but Forqueray like the devil. There was more than a little devilishness in his other behavior too. When he was not improvising preludes or playing Italian violin sonatas on the viol, he was busy seducing the servants or beating his wife and viol-playing son.