Devienne
Quartett
für Fagott, Violine, Viola und Violoncello
C-dur
Quartet for Bassoon, Violin, Viola and Violoncello in C major op. 73 Nr. 1
MR 2056
François Devienne (1759–1803) was a widely-acclaimed Parisian flautist, bassoonist and composer of the latter part of the 18th century. He served as a flautist in a regimental band in his youth and then in the service of Cardinal de Rohan. Later he was engaged at the Loge Olympique and in the Gardes Suisses band and taught at the Paris Conservatory. In 1789 he was employed in the Théâtre de Monsieur as a bassoonist, a position he held until his death.
Devienne was an unusually prolific composer, especially for wind instruments. His numerous concertos and sonatas for wind soloists and concertante combinations did much to popularise wind instrument performance in Paris. The flute method which he published in 1795 has undergone many revisions and is available in a modern edition.
The Trois Quatuor[s] Pour Basson, Violon, Alto et Basse, op. 73, published by Erard (Paris) in 1798, were dedicated to Devienne’s friend, Garnier of Lyon. This may have been François Joseph Garnier (1755–1825), a noted French oboist and flautist, also a composer of solo and wind chamber music and a widely-used method for oboe.
These quartets are somewhat superior to most of those contemporaneous works written for a wind instrument and strings. Although the bassoon part is a brilliant one, each of the string voices enjoys a high degree of independence.
H. Voxman
May, 1980
lowa City, lowa
Quartet for Bassoon, Violin, Viola and Violoncello
Musica Rara 2056 © 1981 by Musica Rara, Monteux assigned 2000 to Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden François Devienne op. 73 No. 1 edited by Himie Voxman