François Devienne

François Devienne (; 31 January 1759 – 5 September 1803) was a French composer of the Classical period and professor for flute at the Paris Conservatory. Career Devienne was born in Joinville, as the youngest of fourteen children of a saddlemaker. After receiving his first musical training as a choirboy in his hometown, he played in various Parisian ensembles as soloist and orchestra player. He studied the flute with Félix Rault; in 1780 he joined the household of Cardinal de Rohan. He was active in Paris as a flutist, bassoonist and composer, and played bassoon at the Paris Opera. He wrote successful operas in the 1790s, including (1792) which brought him much success. He was also a member of the Military Band of the French Guard, where he was given the rank of sergeant with the duty of teaching the children of his colleagues in the military band in its Free School of Music. After the Revolutionary period, when the Free School became the National Institute of Music, later chartered as the Paris Conservatory in 1795, Devienne was appointed as flute professor (1795–1803); among his students was François René Gebauer. He wrote (1793), which was reprinted several times and did much to