Carl Reinecke







Biografia

Reinecke was born in Altona, which was part of Denmark at his time. The son of a teacher of music with whom he studied, Johann Peter Rudolph Reinecke, Carl began to compose at the age of seven, and his first public appearance as a pianist was when he was twelve years old.

He undertook his first concert tour in 1843 which eventually led, in 1846, to his appointment as Court Pianist for Christian VIII in Copenhagen. There he remained until 1848. Overall he wrote four concertos for his instrument (and many cadenzas for others' works, including a large set published as his Opus 87), as well as concertos for violin, cello, harp and flute.

In 1851 he became a professor at the Cologne Conservatory. In ensuing years he was appointed musical director at Barmen, and became the academic, musical director and conductor of the Singakademie at Breslau.

In 1860, Reinecke was appointed director of the Gewandhaus Orchestra concerts in Leipzig, and professor of composition and piano at the Conservatorium. He led the orchestra until 1895. There he conducted such premieres as the full seven-movement version of Brahms's German Requiem (1869).

In 1865 the Gewandhaus-Quartett premiered his piano quintet, and in 1892 his D major string quartet ([1]).

Reinecke is best known for his flute sonata "Undine", but he is also remembered as one of the most influential and versatile musicians of his time. He served as a teacher for 35 years, until 1902. His students included Edvard Grieg, Basil Harwood, Christian Sinding, Leoš Janáček, Isaac Albéniz, Johan Svendsen, Richard Franck, Felix Weingartner, Max Bruch, and Felix Fox among many others.

After his retirement he devoted his time to composition and an output that contains almost three hundred published works. He wrote several operas (all unperformed today) including König Manfred. Reinecke died, at 85, in Leipzig.



Opere

König Manfred, comic opera, 1867
Ein Abenteuer Händels, operetta, 1874
Auf hohen Befehl, comic opera, 1886
Der Gouverneur von Tours, comic opera, 1891
Symphony no. 1 in A major, opus 79, 1858
Symphony no. 2 in C minor, Hakon Jarl, opus 134, 1874
Symphony no. 3 in G minor, opus 227 (about 1895)
Piano quartet in E-flat, opus 34, 1844
A piano quartet in light style, opus 272, 1904
Piano quintet in A, opus 83, 1866
Violoncello concerto in D minor, opus 82, 1864
Violin concerto in G minor, opus 141, 1876
Concerto for harp and orchestra in E minor, opus 182, 1884
Flute concerto in D major, opus 283 (1908)
Piano concerto no. 1 in F-sharp minor, opus 72, 1860
Piano concerto no. 2 in E minor, opus 120, 1872
Piano concerto no. 3 in C major, opus 144, 1877
Piano concerto no. 4 in B minor, opus 254, 1900
Serenade for strings in G minor, opus 242, around 1898
Trio for piano, oboe and horn in A minor, opus 188, 1886
Trio for piano, clarinet and viola in A, opus 264
Trio for piano, clarinet and horn in B-flat, opus 274, 1905
Octet for winds in B-flat, opus 216, 1892
Sextet for flute, oboe, clarinet, 2 horns and bassoon in B-flat, opus 271
Five string quartets (opus 16 in E-flat, 1843, opus 30 in F, 1851, opus 132 in C, 1874, opus 211 in D major, 1890, and opus 287)
an organ sonata opus 284
a piano sonata for the left hand opus 179, 1884
a string trio in C minor opus 249
Sonatas for flute (Sonata Undine) opus 167, 1882
violin, cello (three, in A minor opus 42 1847-8, D major opus 89 1866 and G major opus 238, recorded on cpo)
Three light piano trios opus 159a
Piano trio opus 230
Drei Fantasiestücke für Viola und Klavier, Op.43 (Three fantasy pieces for viola and piano)
Harp Concerto in e minor, Op. 182 (1884)