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         Louis Marchand entered the world on February 2, 1669 in Lyon, France.  Marchand's father Jean was deemed "un organiste mediocre" by Titon du Tillet, a contemporary of Marchand's, but Louis was not lacking in talent.  Titon states of "Jean-Louis" that he is "le plus grand Organiste qu’il y ait jamais eu pour le toucher."  At the age of fourteen, he became organist of the Nevers Cathedral.  Although Titon states that he accepted a post as organist in Auxerre at the age of twenty-four, other historical evidence indicates that Marchand moved to Paris by 1689 at the age of twenty, taking the city by storm with his equally stormy personality.  During this year, Marchand married Marie Angélique Denis, a native of Paris.  In 1691, Marchand became the organist of a Jesuit church on rue St. Jacques.  Marchand would do anything to boost his image and, during this year, he attempted to defame Pierre Dandrieu, organist of St. Barthélemy.  He recruited a fille de mauvaise vie to accuse Dandrieu of impregnating her.  On a more professional note, the Mercure de France reported that Marchand took up posts at St. Benoît and the Church of the Cordeliers during August 1699.

    In 1700, Marchand became a member of the tribune at St. Honoré, keeping this position until his retirement in 1707.  Marchand's wife left him in 1701 leading to a well-known anecdote.  The king demanded that, after his separation from his wife, Marchand continue to pay her half of his salary.  During the middle of a concert before the French court, Marchand ceased his performance and boldly stated that if his wife were to receive half of his salary, she should perform the second half of the concert herself.  (The king's judgment was probably more than fair as primary sources note Marchand as being unfaithful, and even abusive, toward his wife.)  His keyboard virtuosity, not his personality, earned him the distinguished position of one of the organistes du roi (replacing Nivers) in 1708.  Marchand's performing reputation was so established at this point that he was not required to audition for the post.

    Marchand set out on a tour of Germany in 1713 playing for the emperor and various electors.  This tour may have been prompted by a desire to leave France due to the controversy and legal chaos surrounding his separation from his wife.  German sources state that Louis XIV forced Marchand to leave because of impertinence.  During this tour, in September 1717, was the occurrence of probably the most infamous Marchand anecdote.  Marchand arranged for an organ-playing competition between himself and the great J.S. Bach at the Dresden court.  All historical sources agree that Marchand left before Bach could arrive.  (Coincidentally, all of the German sources imply that Marchand left to avoid Bach; one cannot blame Marchand for feeling intimidated by this self-imposed challenge.  Titon believed Marchand left Germany because of homesickness.)  Marchand generally didn't fear confrontation with other composers.  He argued with François Couperin that he was the composer of Les bergeries.

Legacy:  Marchand was highly regarded as a teacher.  His most famous pupil of the time was Pierre-Louis d'Aquin de Château-Lyon. (D'Aquin is remembered today as a primary source reporting on musicians of the time period.  In a letter to Louis XV, he mentions that although Couperin had more art and application, Marchand possessed more naturally brilliant and spontaneous musicianship).  D'Aquin's fifth letter from Sur l'Orgue, le Clavessin, & les premiers Organistes du tems (see Bibliography) mentions Marchand.  This letter discusses his attempt to claim Couperin's Les Bergeries as his own.  It also contains a comparison of the talents of Marchand and Couperin.  In general descriptions show an author in awe of Marchand's talent. 

    Marchand also taught an organist and composer named Pierre Dumage.  The dedication to Dumages' compositions states that they are modeled after his teacher.   In addition to his music, Marchand left a writing titled Règles de la composition now located in Paris at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

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