If you studied with M. Jean Devemy you would play a horn like this
Couesnon
"Monopole" Ascending Double
 
Label (Bell):



12705
[trademark: fagott-axe with "MONOPOLE" on banner terminated at each end b a cock's head]/
COUSENON.S.A.
PARIS
MONOPOLE
CONSERVATOIRE
Model:
373*
Serial Number:
12705
Date of Manufacture:
ca. 1934
Key(s):
F/B-flat
Valves:
3 Périnet, 1 rotary
Bore:

Mouthpiece Receiver:

Crook Socket:

Bell Flare:

Bell Throat:

Bell Diameter:

Base Metal:
brass
Finish:
silver plate
* see catalog description below


The firm Couesnon was established in Paris in 1882 by Amédée August Couesnon, the son-in-law of Gautrot aîné who took over the directorship of Gautrot-Durand et Cie. By 1883 the business was styled “Couesnon, Gautrot, et Ci Cie.” and from 1888 onwards as “Couesnon et Cie.” In 1890 it humbly advertised as “manufacture d’insts. de musique la plus importante au monde.” In 1896 it reported a workforce of 200 at the Chateau-Thierry factory. By  1911 the firm was making every kind of musical instrument, employing a workforce of 1000 at eight factories, and was then the largest single musical instrument manufacturer in the world.  In 1914 he factory at Chahteau-Thierry was making annually about 50,000 brass instruments, and about 10,000 at Garennes.  By 1925 claimed to have made over two million musical instruments at their six factories, however by 1927 when the firm celebrated its cententary, the workforce had dwindeled to 200. By 1931 it became known as “Couesnon S.A.”
     Among their predecesseurs et maisons réunies were the wind instrument making firms of Association Général des Ouvriers, Feuillet, Gautrot aîné, Guichard, Lecompte, Massin & Thibouville, Triébert, Tulou, and others. The former trade names were often still used after the acquired firms ceased to exist. A catalog of 1913 states “comme par le passé, nos instruments porteront, suivant leurs diverses catégories, nos marques de fabrique Gautrot aîné, Gautrot-Marquet, Tulou, Triébert. Nous les livrons également sans marque, à la volunté de l’acheteur” [as in the past according to category our instruments will be stamped with the proprietary marks of  Gautrot aîné, Gautrot-Marquet, Tulou, Triébert.  On request , we can also supply them unmarked.]  A 1913 catalog gives the following key to the quality range of their products: “Modèle Monopole” the most expensive, “Armée BN,”, “Armée GNM”, “National BO”, “Universal CGO”,  with Modèle SO” as the cheapest.

The horn shown below is a full double horn in F and B-flat with ascending third valve and was introduced ca. 1934. It is in generally good cosmetic condition but the valves are heavily worn and leaking badly.


1934 Couesnon Catalog, p.33
It isn't clear from the above description whether model 373 applies to this full double horn or to the the compensating version, or to both. 










Jean Devémy
  (1898 - 1969) was born in Valenciennes, France where he became a student of Arthur Cantin. In 1914 he won the Prix d'honneur for horn at the Valenciennes Conservatory. During World War I he was taken as a civilian prisoner of war and pressed into service as a musician in Germany.  Following the war he studied with  François Brémond at the Paris Conservatory where he won the Premier prix  in 1921. He then became principal horn in l'Orchestre Colonne and Musique de la Garde Républicaine.  M. Devémy became the horn professor at the Paris Conservatory in 1937, a position he held until his death in 1969. During his tenure at the Conservatoire thirty-one new solo pieces by twenty-six composers were commissioned for the Concours de Prix for horn including the popular En Forêt by Eugène Bozza (1941), Divertimento by Jean Françaix (1959) and Préambule, Complainte, et Finale by Alfred Désenclos (1969). M. Dévemy's many successful students include Daniel Bourgue, Michel Garcin-Marrou, Gilbert Coursier, and Georges Barboteu. Among his honors are Chevalier de legion d'honneur, Commandeur de l'Ordre national du Mérite, and Officier l'Ordre des Palmes académiques

M. Dévemy's publications and recordings include:

Méthode de cor chromatique, (141 p.) Paris, Editions Philippe Fougères (1941, 1944), and Alphonse-Leduc (1960, 1998)

21 Lectures-études et 9 études d'examens (20 p.) Paris, Editions Philippe Fougères (1947)

Francis Bousquet, "Agrotera pour cor solo et orchestre",  Orchestre des concerts Lamoureux, dir. Eugène Bigot (1943)

Paul Dukas, "Villanelle", with Godefroy Andolfi, piano  (1932)

Ludwig van Beethoven, Quintette Op. 16, with Quintette Oubradous: Pierre Pierlot, oboe;  Pierre Lefebvre, clarinet; Fernand Oubradous, bassoon; Annie d' Arco, piano; (1948)

Couesnon Catalog (1934)


Oubradous concert program, April 10, 1949

References

Britton, Emily A.; Jean Devémy and the Paris Conservatory Morceaux de Concours for Horn, 1938-1969, Florida State University, October, 2014


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