Jason Anthony, flute | Dr. Kimo Smith, piano
François Devienne (1759 - 1803), a contemporary of Mozart, was a french bassoonist and flutist, composer and teacher. At the age of 20, he joined the Paris Opéra Orchestra as a second chair bassoonist. During his service, he took flute lessons from the principal flutist, Félix Rault and proceeded to become a virtuoso in both instruments. At one point in time, he served as both principal flutist and bassoonist (alternating, of course). After a few years, he moved on to join the band of Paris National Guard, teaching and preparing musical events for the city. The organization eventually became the ‘Free School of Music of the National Guard’ in 1792, ‘National Institute of Music’ in 1793, and the ‘Paris Conservatoire’ in 1795, where he served as the first flute professor. His compositions pushed the boundaries of virtuosic performance for wind instruments, particularly for bassoon and flute. His specialty was particularly in the realm of concertos, having written four for the bassoon, twelve for the flute, two for the horn, and one of for a combination of orchestral instruments. He also had great success writing opéra comiques, producing twelve, from which royalties kept him comfortable for the rest of his life. In 1794, he penned an influential book for flute performance, which focussed mainly on 18th century musical style. This Concerto No. 7 in E minor for flute (1787) is perhaps one of his greatest instrumental works, particularly marked by astoundingly expressive and beautiful melodies as well as virtuosic rhythmic passages throughout the entire piece.
