Concerto for flute and orchestra No. 5 in C Major

Ludwig August Lebrun (1752–1790) was an acclaimed German oboist and composer, considered the leading oboe virtuoso of his era. He was a prominent figure in the renowned Mannheim School of composition and performance.
Lebrun was born in Mannheim and received oboe lessons from his father, who was also an oboist in the Mannheim court orchestra. He quickly displayed prodigious talent, joining the court orchestra as an apprentice at age twelve and becoming a full court musician at fifteen.
In 1778, Lebrun married the celebrated soprano Franziska Danzi, the sister of composer Franz Danzi. The couple formed a famous musical partnership, touring extensively throughout Europe to cities including Milan, Paris, London, Vienna, and Prague. Critics of the time praised their perfectly matched artistry, noting that when they performed arias together, one could barely distinguish where the voice ended and the oboe began. Composers like Salieri and Holzbauer wrote works featuring oboe obbligato specifically for the pair.
Lebrun was famous for expanding the technical and expressive possibilities of the oboe, known for his "sweet tone" and ability to reach higher notes than was customary at the time. He belonged to the second generation of the Mannheim School, and his compositions are characterized by the era's dramatic dynamic shifts.