Marchand, Louis 02/02/1669 - 02/17/1732

Marchand's father Jean is said to have been a "mediocre organist".
However, according to a biography published in the year of his death Louis became organist of Nevers Cathedral at the age of 14. Other documents substantiate that he married in Paris at the age of 20. As of 1691 he worked at the Jesuit church in the Rue St Jacques, at St Benoît, at the Cordeliers and in the monastery Saint-Honoré. From 1708 he was officially one of the King's organists. In 1713 he embarked on a journey of several years through the German lands and played for the Emperor and for some Electors. In September 1717 he is said to have escaped a musical competition with Johann Sebastian Bach at the Dresden court by fleeing. However, only German sources such as Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg and Jakob Adlung describe this incident. Marchand was apparently welcomed with open arms in Paris shortly afterwards. Until his death he remained organist with the Cordeliers and was a much sought-after teacher. His most successful student was Louis-Claude Daquin.