Napoléon Coste was born in Amondans (Doubs), near Besançon, France.

He was first taught the

guitar by his mother, an accomplished player. As a teenager he became a teacher of the instrument
and appeared in three concerts in the Franche-Comté. In 1829, at the age of 24, he moved to Paris
where he studied under Fernando Sor and quickly established himself as the leading French virtuoso
guitarist [source: Ari van Vliet: Napoléon Coste, Biography, 2016] However, the demand for guitarists
was in decline and, though his brilliance provided financial stability, he published many of his works
by himself, which was customary at the time, apart from finding publishers for his music. As such, he
had to fund his publications himself. Napoléon Coste was influenced by the Early Classical-Romantic
composers of the time including Hector Berlioz. Coste's Opus no.47, La Source du Lyson is inspired by
nature much like Berlioz's program music.[1]

Coste injured his left shoulder in 1863 as a result of an accident, which didn't bring his performing
career to a premature end because he performed in public until 1881. After Sor's death, Coste edited
and republished Sor's original method for guitar as Méthode complète pour la Guitare par Ferdinand
Sor, rédigée et augmentée [refingered and expanded] de nombreux exemples et leçons par N. Coste.

Coste was a member of the masonic lodge Les Frères Unis Inséparables.[2]

He had a special fondness for playing on a seven string guitar. He is known as one of the first
composers to transcribe guitar music of the 17th century into modern musical notation. He died at
age 77, leaving a significant catalogue of original compositions. Napoleon Coste was famous for his
unique seven string guitar with a “floating” 7th string typically tuned to D or C called the Lacôte
Heptachord. Tonally this invention created more depth when played as the floating string would
vibrate sympathetically even as the other strings were plucked.[3]

List of works

Works published with opus numbers

Op. 2: Variations et Finale... sur un motif favori de la Famille Suisse de Weigl ("Variations and
Finale ... on a favorite theme of the Swiss Family Weigl")

Op. 3: 2 Quadrilles de contredanses ("2 Contredance Quadrilles")

Op. 4: Fantasie ... composée sur un motif du 'Ballet d'Armide' ("Fantasy ... Composed on a Theme
from Armida's Ball")

Op. 5: Souvenirs de Flandres ("Memories of Flanders")

Op. 6: Fantaisie de concert ("Fantasy Concert")

Op. 7: 16 Valses favorites de Johann Strauss ("16 Waltz Favorites by Johann Strauss")

Op. 9: Divertissement sur 'Lucia di Lammermoor' ("Divertissement on [the opera] Lucia di

Lammermoor")

Op. 10: Scherzo et pastorale (for two guitars)

Op. 11: Grand caprice

Op. 12: Rondeau de concert

Op. 13: Caprice sur … La Cachucha

Op. 14: Deuxième Polonaise ("Second Polonaise")

Op. 15: Le Tournoi fantaisie chevaleresque ("The Fantasy Chivalry Tournament")

Op. 16: Fantaisie sur deux motifs de la 'Norma' ("Fantasy on Themes from [the opera] Norma")

Op. 17: La Vallée d'Ornans ("The Ornans Valley")

Op. 18: Les Bords du Rhin ("The Banks of the Rhine")

Op. 19: Delfzil

Op. 19b: La Romanesca

Op. 20: Le Zuyderzée ("The Zuyderzee")

Op. 21: Les Cloches ("The Bells")

Op. 22: Meulan

Op. 23: Les Soirées d'Auteuil ("Evenings in Auteuil")

Op. 24: Grand solo

Op. 25: Romance pour hautbois et piano

Op. 27: Le Passage des Alpes ("The Trail in the Alps")

Op. 28b: Fantaisie symphonique ("Symphonic Fantasy")

Op. 29: La Chasse des sylphes ("The Hunt of the Sylphes")

Op. 30: Grande sérénade

Op. 31: Le Départ, fantaisie dramatique ("The Departure, Dramatic Fantasy")

Op. 33: Mazurka

Op. 34: Le Montagnard Divertissement Pastoral pour Hautbois ou Violon et Piano ou Guitare

Op. 36: Cantilène pour hautbois et piano

Op. 37: Cavatine pour hautbois et piano

Op. 38: 25 Études de genre ("25 Typical Études")

Op. 39: Andante et menuet

Op. 41: Feuilles d'automne ("Autumn Leaves")

Op. 42: La Ronde de Mai ("May Rondo")

Op. 43: Marche funèbre et rondeau ("Funeral March and Rondo")

Op. 44: Andante et polonaise (Souvenirs du Jura) ("Memories of Jura")

Op. 45: Divagation ("Wandering")

Op. 46 Valse Favorite ("Favorite Waltz")

Op. 47: La Source du Lyson ("The Lyson River Spring")

Op. 48: Quatre Marches

Op. 49: Six Préludes

Op. 50: Adagio et divertissements

Op. 51: Récréation du Guitariste ("The Guitarist's Break").

Op. 52: Le Livre d'or du guitariste ("The Guitarist's Golden Book").

Op. 53: Six Pièces originales (Rêverie, Rondeau, 2 Menuets, Scherzo, Étude)

Works without opus numbers

Méditation de nuit ("Night Meditation")

Andante et allegro

Divertissement

Introduction et variations sur un motif de Rossini ("Introduction and Variations on a Theme by

Rossini")

Berceuse ("Lullaby")

Kleines Tonstück

Pastorale

Valse en ré majeur ("Waltz in D major")

Valse en la majeur ("Waltz in A major")

Valse des roses ("Waltz of the Roses")

Duetto