Frederic Duvernoy belonged to that founding generation which established the fame of French horn players and passed it on through a school of its own. He was born in Montbéliard on 16 October 1765 and joined the orchestra of the Comédie-Italienne as a hornist in 1788. In 1797 he moved to the Paris Opéra, where he worked as solo horn player from 1799 onwards. In 1801 he, together with other solo wind players, was relieved of regular opera duty in order to concentrate on solo work. From that time on he also played in the "Chapelle Musique", which was re-established by Napoleon Bonaparte, said to have been an admirer of Duvernoy.
From 1795 he was also a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire de Musique, at times alongside eight other horn players. Several different schools of horn playing developed there. While a division into 1st and 2nd horn had always existed, the hornist Rodolphe advocated a comprehensive use of the entire pitch range, whereas Kenn, and especially later Dauprat, stood for a clear separation into cor alto and cor basso.
Duvernoy took the middle course in the truest sense of the word: in his printed horn method he, too, divided playing into high and low horn and recommended differently sized mouthpieces, yet in solo playing he propagated the "cor mixte". This meant forgoing the particularly high and low notes; the middle register (roughly one and a half octaves) was rarely left, with greater emphasis instead placed on a singing tone.
Duvernoy retired in 1816, but continued to hold the position of solo horn player in the Chapelle Musique until 1830. He died in Paris on 19 July 1838. Duvernoy's works (12 horn concertos and numerous chamber pieces) were printed not only in Paris but also appeared in Germany, published by houses such as Simrock and Breitkopf.
Serenade No. 3 for Piano and Horn (or Flute/Violin)
This work was created around 1820, part of a series of divertissements, fantasies and serenades. It was inspired by a journey to Switzerland. For the horn part, an alternative part for flute or violin is available.
