Le Sueur led a turbulent life, starting as a church musicien and
composer of sacred music before the French revolution. He withdraw
from the church in 1788, and after the revolution, he shifted his
focus and praised the new ideals. He became popular and received
recognition for he work. Among other things, he wrote music for the
coronation of Napoléon I, and received the Cross of the Legion of
Honor. After Napoléons defeat, Le Sueur became Superintenant and
composer to the chapel for King Louis XVIII (1814), and later wrote
music for the coronation of Charles X in 1825. In 1818, he became
professor of composition. Among his students were Berlioz and
Gounod. It is said that for the coronation music of Charles X, he
reused large portions of the coronation music he had written for
Napoléon I.