A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Drouet, Louis

DROUET, Louis François Philippe, one of the most eminent of flute-players, born at Amsterdam 1792. At seven years old he played at the Conservatoire and the Opera-house, Paris. From 1807–10 he was teacher to King Louis of Holland, and claims to have put 'Partant pour la Syrie' into shape for Queen Hortense. His serious study of the flute began in 1807, after an extraordinary success which he achieved at a concert of Rode's in Amsterdam. In 1811 he was appointed solo flute to Napoleon I, a post which he retained after the Restoration. He appeared in London at the Philharmonic March 35, 1816, and this was probably the commencement of a lengthened tour, during which he resided for some time at Naples and the Hague. He played again at the Philharmonic May 17, 1830. From 1836 to 54 he was Court-Capellmeister at Coburg, after which he visited America. Since his return thence he has lived at Gotha and Frankfort. Drouet was eminently a flute player, not remarkable for tone, but with extraordinary skill in rapid passages and in double tongueing. He left some 150 works of all kinds, admirably written for the flute, and greatly esteemed by players, but of little account as music. He died 1873 [App. p.618 "Sept. 30"].