François Devienne was among the most important composers of wind music in the second half of the 18th century, and one of the founding teachers at the newly established Paris Conservatoire in 1795.

Devienne’s First Flute Concerto was a great success at the 1782 Concert Spirituel and helped his reputation abroad. The Fourth is one of the best of his entire concerto output. All of these works combine sublime melodic elegance and graceful virtuosity, making them among the most attractive concertos of their time.

Patrick Gallois has been hugely successful as both performer and conductor, with numerous acclaimed Naxos recordings to his name. He has already combined both talents in flute concertos by Mercadante (8572731), “conducting the orchestra while simultaneously negotiating hairraising difficulties with seemingly nonchalant ease” (Gramophone). Devienne’s flute concertos have rarely been recorded in their entirety.