"The Bells of St. Genevieve" in English can be considered a passacaglia or a chaconne, with a repeating D, F, E bass line. It is perhaps Marin Marais most famous composition that explores the various techniques of the viol, an instrument he studied with Sainte-Colombe. The piece begins with 4 measures of the bass line played by the continuo and bass viol; then, on the 5th measure the violin takes over the melody. Throughout the piece, the violin and viol take turns with the melody. The viol part is of great difficulty because of Marais's mastery of that instrument. The centerpiece is not the melody, the violin, but the viol. His work can be thought of as something to showcase the violist's skill, although it does not always have the melody.
