Biography of Antonín Reicha (1770-1836)

Reicha in 1815, painted by Claude-Marie-François Dien
Portrait of Anton Reicha, painted 1815 by Claude-Marie-François Dien
26.02.1770
Born in Prague (or 27.02.?), his father dies ten months after his birth and the boy is fostered by his uncle, a cellist, who became chapellmaster at the Bonn National Theatre later on.
Plays violine, piano and flute
1785
Second flutist in the electors orchestra and therefore colleague of Beethoven, took lessons from him and from Neefe.
At the same time flutist of the Cologne national theatre
1787
Conducting the first symphony of his own in Bonn
1790
First meeting with Haydn
1794
Move to Hamburg due to the french invasion of Bonn. Meeting Haydn in the north again.
1799
Relocation to Paris and two years later to Vienna
1802
A six years stay in Vienna, financed through compositions of occasional music. Friendship with Albrechtsberger, Saliere and Haydn.
1808
Definitive move to Paris
1818
At the conservatory teacher of Liszt, Berlioz, Gounod and Franck in musical theory and composition
1831
Knight of the French legion of Honor
1835
Successor of Boieldieu at the Institut de France
"Inventor" of the instrumentation woodwind quintet, of which he wrote 24 works.
28.05.1836
Dies in Paris

Sheet music for flute:

Bläserquintett op. 88, Nr. 2 (Es-Dur)
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(flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn)
Thomi-Berg, AM 103
Rating: mid-grade
  1. Lento - Allegro moderato
  2. Scherzo
  3. Andante grazioso
  4. Finale - Allegro molto
Regrettably without score. For the flute really easy (and a bit boring). It needs a quite good clarinetist and hornist. Bassoon and oboe are both featured in one of the movements.
Harmonique imitée ou trois Adagios op. 18 (G-Dur)
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(4 flutes)
Tonger Musikverlag, FO 103
  1. Adagio
  2. Adagio
  3. Adagio
Score and parts.
Written before 1799 in Bonn.
Quartett Op. 12 (D-Dur)
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(4 flutes)
Friedrich Hofmeister Musikverlag, FH 2334
  1. Allegro
  2. Andante
  3. Menuett
  4. Finale - Allegro Vivace
Score and parts. The parts are a bit hard to read.
Quatuor op. 19 (G-Dur)
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(4 flutes)
Gerard Billaudot, G. 1666 B
Rating: easy
  1. Adagio molto
  2. Allegretto
Only parts, no score.
Quintett No. 16 op. 99, Nr. 4 (D-Dur)
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(flute, oboe, clarinet in A, bassoon, horn in D or F)
International Music Company, 2941
Rating: mid-grade
  1. Andante
  2. Poco lento
  3. Menuetto - Scherzo
  4. Allegro assai
This is the score, parts separateley available.
Quintett No. 16 op. 99; No. 4 (D-Dur)
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(flute, oboe, clarinet in A, bassoon, horn in D or F)
International Music Company, No. 2940
Rating: mid-grade
  1. I - Andante
  2. II - Poco lento
  3. III - Menuetto: Scherzo
  4. IV - Allegro assai
These are the parts. For the french horn there is a part in D and one in F. The print looks a bit like handwriting and is thus a bit hard to read.
Sinfonico op. 12 (D-Dur)
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(4 flutes)
Gerard Billaudot, M. R. 1023 B
Rating: mid-grade
  1. Allegro
  2. Andante
  3. Menuet
  4. Final - Allegro vivace
Tre Quartetti op. 98, Bi, 1
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(flute, violin, viola, cello)
Editio Praga, H 3917 a
Rating: mid-grade
  1. Quatuor I (Allegro - Largo - Menuett (Allegro) - Finale (Allegro))
  2. Quatuor II (Andante con Variazioni - Allegro - Aria (Andante) - Finale (Allegro))
  3. Quatuor III (Allegro moderato - Largo - Fugue a Deux Sujets (Allegro) - Finale (Poco adagio))
Only parts, good paper.
Tre Quintetti - Parte 1 op. 88, Nr. 3 (G-Dur)
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(flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn)
Editio Praga, H 7140
Rating: mid-grade
  1. Lento
  2. Andante
  3. Minuetto (Allegro vivo)
  4. Finale (Allegro vivace)
Unfortunately without score
Variationen für zwei Querflöten op. 20 (D-Dur)
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(2 flutes)
Eulenburg, GM 195
Rating: difficult
  1. Allegretto scherzando
  2. 6 Variationen
score

CDs with/from Antonín Reicha

The Kuhlau Quartet
Anton Reicha - Complete works for 2, 3 & 4 flutes (1990)
jpc
Kontrapunkt
    Sinfonico for four flutes D Major, Op. 12:
  1. Allegro (09:22:00)
  2. Andante (05:29:00)
  3. Menuet. Allegro vivace (04:39:00)
  4. Finale. Allegro vivace (04:58:00)
    5. Three Romances for two flutes, Op. 21:
  5. Andante e minor (02:34:00)
  6. Andante G major (02:13:00)
  7. Andante D Major  (01:55:00)
    8. Trio for three flutes D major, Op. 26:
  8. Allegro (06:08:00)
  9. Romance. Adagio (04:36:00)
  10. Finale. Vivace (03:42:00)
    11. Harmonique Imitee for four flutes, op. 18:
  11. Adagio G Major (02:27:00)
  12. Adagio D Major (03:32:00)
  13. Adagio G Major (02:59:00)
    14. Variations for two flutes D Major, op. 20:
  14. Theme. Allegretto Scherzando. Var. I - VI (07:33:00)
    15. Quatuor for four flutes G maior, Op. 27:
  15. Adagio molto (02:28:00)
  16. Allegretto (03:46:00)
Deutsches Streichtrio, Aurèle Nicolet
Antonin Rejcha Flötenquartette (1981)
cpo
    Quartett op. 98 Nr. 1 g-moll:
  1. Allegro (07:58:00)
  2. Largo (06:08:00)
  3. Menuett - Trio I - Trio II (05:46:00)
  4. Finale. Allegro (05:03:00)
    5. Quartett op. 98 Nr. 2 C-Dur:
  5. Andante con Variazioni (06:48:00)
  6. Allegro (06:31:00)
  7. Aria. Andante - Trio. Allegro assai (04:00:00)
  8. Finale. Allegro (04:30:00)

Literature von/über Antonín Reicha

Last edit 02.05.2020