The Czech composer Antoine Reicha, born Antonín Rejcha, studied piano, violin and flute under his uncle Joseph who was the director of the National Theatre in Bonn.

Reicha entered the court orchestra, as flautist, in which Beethoven also served and they became friends.

In 1793 he moved to Hamburg where he spent six years teaching and composing.

In 1799 he tried for operatic success in Paris, but when this failed he moved to Vienna, where he renewed his acquaintance with Beethoven and met Haydn and Salieri.

When he returned to Paris, in 1808, he began to write instrumental music again. Ten years later he succeeded Méhul as a teacher at the Conservatoire where Berlioz, Liszt, Gounod and César Franck were among his pupils.

Reicha’s operas are of historical interest only.

MIDI FILE – from "36 Fugue für Klavier": No.17 (3’20’’)

Three of them provided examples for his Art du compositeur dramatique (Art of the Dramatic Composer), a guide to the contemporary technique of operatic composition.

He was as prolific in the composition of orchestral music as in other genres, with a series of symphonies, overtures and concertos.

Among his many choral and vocal works are settings of the Requiem and other liturgical and sacred texts.

Secular works include a setting of Bürger’s romantic ballad Lenore.

Reicha is particularly remembered for his chamber music, notably for his two dozen or so wind quintets.

He wrote for varied combinations of instruments, including a series of quartets and quintets for a wind instrument with string quartet.