Napoléon Coste was born in 1806 in Amondans, France. He began his guitar studies under his mother’s tuition, who was an accomplished player. As a teenager he quickly became familiar with the instrument and its capabilities and has had numerous appearances in the region.

In 1830, at the age of 24 he moved to Paris where he studied with famous guitar virtuoso of the time Fernando Sor. He quickly established himself as the leading French virtuoso guitarist even if by the time he arrived there, the demand for guitarists was in decline, and though his brilliance provided financial stability, he failed to find a publisher for his music which he had to fund himself.

...