Biography
Relying on patronage for his livelihood, this French composer pursued his work independently. Caix, a player of the bass viol, wrote music for that instrument notable for a melodic elegance seldom associated with it. Dance forms proved his strongest suit as a composer, given his difficulty sustaining ideas across larger frameworks, though he still produced pieces for one or two bass viols and made forays into sonatas and suites. His output combined inventive melodic gifts with a pronounced taste for virtuosity, while his own performances on the instrument remained outstanding.