Biography
Regarded as a likely pupil of Cupis, Breval emerged as a notable French cellist who also turned to composition for his chosen instrument. Innovation and diversity shaped his output through repeated experiments with fresh forms and playing methods. Instrumental works made up the bulk of his catalog, among them orchestral symphonies, concertos scored for violin and cello, trios, duos, airs, and pedagogical studies, although he also tested his skills in comic opera. The treatise "Traite de violoncelle" stood as his most significant and far-reaching achievement, presenting a methodical, exhaustive, and sequentially organized course of instruction.