Francois Devienne: Trios

Ensemble Le Petit Trianon

François Devienne (1759-1803), sometimes nicknamed the ‘French Mozart’, was equalled famed for his talents as a flautist and a bassoonist. He was one of the first professors at the Paris Conservatoire, established in the early years of the Republic. Devienne devoted a large proportion of his compositions, in several different forms, to the two instruments of which he was a virtuoso exponent. The programme presents several of his trios, which combine the violin and the cello with the two wind instruments in turn. These works possess all the charm of the galant aesthetic that developed in the late eighteenth century, along with a certain penchant for virtuosity.

Devienne:
 Flute Quartet in A minor, Op. 66 No. 1
 Flute Quartet in D, Op. 66 No. 3
 Trio in E flat major, Op. 17 No. 5
 Trio in F major, Op. 17 No. 4
 Trio in G Minor, Op. 66 No. 2

"Riehl’s pearly tone, exquisitely carved phrasing and tapered mastery of notes that dissolve into silence; this is stuff beyond birdcall...Solano and Poulet are in many ways the unrecognised stars of this album: consistently vibrant and sources of rhythmic fuel."
Gramophone Magazine - October 2020