User:Olivia Jameson/Jean Rivier

Early Life
Rivier was born in Seine in 1896. He took piano and cello lessons as a child and played flute, violin, and bass as well.

As a young adult, Rivier served in World War I in both the trenches and on the front lines. His time serving in the war led him to pursue composition professionally. This was the result of his discovery of a piano in the trenches of Arras and using it to compose, although his compositions from this period of time were too sad for him to publish. His platoon was the victim of a mustard gas attack and Rivier was the only member of the group to survive. This attack, however, left him in various treatment facilities for years following due to the intense lung damage the attack caused. These treatment centers are where he met his wife, Marie Peyrissac.