Devienne, François (1759–1803)

French flautist, bassoonist, and composer. He wrote operas and a large quantity of music for wind instruments. From 1790 he was a teacher in the National Guard School in Paris. He published an influential method for the one-key flute in 1794, and the following year he was appointed professor of flute at the newly founded Paris Conservatory.

After study with members of his family, he played the flute and bassoon in various opera orchestras in Paris from 1779. His wind concertos were performed from 1780, notably at the Loge Olympique and Concert Spirituel concerts. The first of his opéras-comiques, Le Mariage clandestin, was produced at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris, in 1790; other works in the genre were Les Visitandines (1792), Agnès et Félix (1795), and Le Valet de deux maîtres (1799). The Revolutionary opera Le Congrés des rois was produced at the Opéra-Comique in 1794. Devienne died in the mental asylum at Charenton.