Anton Reicha (also Antonin Rejcha), * 26. February. 1770 in Prague, + 28. May 1836 in Paris.
The father of Anton Reichs, a baker, died when his son was not a year old yet. The boy went 1781 after embankment first one to his uncle Joseph Reicha, this one, himself childlessly marries, his nephew adopted.
At him Anton who could speak only Czech till now won a general education, learned flute, violin and the piano German, French and educated with enthusiasm. The uncle far informed him is unknown how. Anton entered the chapel of the Elector Maximilian of Cologne with him in Bonn together. He becomes 1790 here as Geiger in which Cologne national theatre as a flautist mentions. He made friends with Beethoven in the chapel.
Reicha got to know works of the Mannheim school and the Viennese classical music, primarily however French operas, in the band. His preference also grew for wind instruments here.
1790 made Reicha to themselves confessed with Joseph Haydn who touched on his first journey to London Bonn. A French revolution was resolved, the band after the outbreak Antonín Reicha left its uncle Joseph and 1794 went to Hamburg since this one. He taught privately here.
Reicha moved 1799 to Paris. The flourishing music life and the liberal conditions practised a strong appeal the French capital on him
from. He left the town in winter 1801/02 and went to Vienna. Furthermore his compositional education he friendly of Haydn receives, completed here at it with Albrechtsberger and Salieri. In addition, he re-established his friendly relations to Beethoven.
The brilliant offer of the conductor office with the prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia declined Reicha.
As a composition teacher he enjoyed the broadest recognition. It moved definitely to Paris in October 1808, but its operas found only little echo notwithstanding all efforts. Against this the instrumental works, primarily the wind quintets, had durable success, and as a teacher it reached a high reputation.
A chair which it began on January 1st, 1818 was set up at the Parisian Conservatoire for it. Together with Cherubini, Paër, Lesueur, Berton,
It was a member of the Comité d'enseignement Boieldieu. Apart from its compositions its theoretical documents also reached the pressure.
Reicha married a Frenchwoman 1819, 1829 he was granted the French citizenship. For its contributions to the music it became 1831 knights of the legion of honour and on March 23rd, 1835 as a successor a Boieldieus member of the Institut de France.
Soon to that it fell ill and died. Adam, Onslow, Liszt, Berlioz, Dancla, G. Franck, J. G. Kästner belonged to its pupils and a ..
We also offer the original edition composed by Reicha for two horns and cello. It had been first published in 1825 in Paris by Pleyel. As unusual as this instrumentation seems to be still there are some ealier compositions by the horn virtuosi brothers Boeck.
