Frdric Blasius

Blasius was born in Lauterbourg, a town in the far northeast corner of

France on the Rhineland border of Alsace. This frontier town had been fortified
in the late 17th century byLouis XIV and had a large military presence, including
many musicians.[1] Both of his parents were German. His mother, a member of
the Bugard family, was originally from the South Rhineland town of Schaidt, and
his father, Johann Michael Blasius, [2] was from Rastatt in Baden. His father
earned his living primarily as a master tailor, but was also a musician and gave
his son his first lessons.[1][3] The young Blasius also received lessons from
military musicians;[1] a man referred to as Herr Stadt; and his two older brothers:
Johann Peter (French: Pierre; born Lauterbourg, 2 September 1752), a violinist;
and Franz Ignaz (French: Ignace; born Lauterbourg, 11 April 1755), a
bassoonist. Both of his brothers also later worked in Paris.

From 1780 to 1782 Blasius worked for the Bishop of Strasbourg, Prince
Louis-Ren-Edouard de Rohan.[2] The Cathedral Kapellmeister and Municipal
Music Director ofStrasbourg at that time was Franz Xaver Richter. Richter was
a co-founder of the "Mannheim School" and a leading music theoretician. [1] In
1784 Blasius went to Paris and in the spring made his debut as the violin soloist
and conductor of one of his own concertos at a concert of the Concert spirituel.
The performance received favourable reviews.