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François Devienne (1759–1803) was one of the more important French composers of the classical period. Born in Joinville (Haut-Marne), the seventh of eight children, he acquired experience on all instruments, especially the flute and bassoon and is reputed to have written a Mass at the age of ten.
In 1779 he settled in Paris where he held the position of Principal Bassoon of the Théâtre de Monsieur until his death, however he continued to study flute with Félix Rault, becoming one of the first Professors of Flute of the Paris Conservatoire and writing a famous and often reprinted Méthode pour la flûte in 1794.
He wrote symphonies, no fewer than 17 concertos for wind instruments, a considerable amount of patriotic music at the time of the Revolution and dozens of sonatas and duets.
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