Three Sonatas, op. 70, #1-#3 - OB/PN (Basso Continuo)

Devienne was an unusually prolific composer, especially for wind instruments. His numerous concertos and sonatas for wind soloists did much to popularize wind instrument performance in Paris. This particular composition is from VI Sonatas Pour Hautbois avec accompagnement de Basse, composees et dediees a son ami, Sallantin par F. Devienne was published by Charles Sieber in 1795. The sonatas are interesting historically as well as musically. The dedication refers to Antoine Sallantin (1754-1816?). Sallantin, a noted Paris instrumentalist, was a member of the Opera orchestra from 1773 until 1813 and was appointed to the oboe chair at the Paris Conservatoire at its foundation, as Devienne was appointed to the flute chair. Sallantin was a player of the two-keyed (also known as a late-Baroque/Classical) oboe, but was also known to have played on an oboe with four keys. Consequently, this places both Sallantin and Devienne in their later years, at the end of an era, during which time musical demands made by the composer on the performer were changing, as well as fast-moving changes and improvements in the keywork and intonation of wind instruments. By 1825, younger oboists were working with oboes with ten or perhaps even thirteen keys. 

Edited by David Ledet. Although listed as works for oboe and continuo, there is no separate basso part included in this edition. Three additional sonatas by Devienne for oboe and continuo, Three Sonatas Op 71 are available as MR 2140.