Page "Anton Reicha" Paragraph 3

Reicha's output during his Vienna years included large semi-didactic cycles of works such as 36 Fugues for piano ( which explored Reicha's " new method of fugal writing "), L ' art de varier ( a set of 57 variations on an original theme ), and exercises for the treatise Practische Beispiele.

During the later Paris period, however, he focused his attention mostly on theory and produced a number of treatises on composition.

Works of this period include some 25 wind quintets, some of the earliest important music for wind ensembles.

Ideas he advocated in his music and writings include polyrhythm, polytonality and microtonal music ; none were accepted by the composers of the time.

Due to Reicha's own attitude towards publishing his music, he fell into obscurity immediately after his death ; his life and work remain poorly studied.