Henri-Joseph Rigel (1741-1799) - Symphonie No.4, (1774)

Autor: Henri-Joseph Rigel (1741-1799) Obra: Symphonie No.4, (1774) Intèrprets: Le Concert de la Loge; Julien Chauvin Pintura: Jacob van Strij (1756-1815) - Landschap met veedrijver en schaapherder Comprar/Purchase: --- Henri-Joseph Rigel [Riegel] (Wertheim, 9 February 1741 - Paris, 2 May 1799) German teacher and composer. Son of Georg Caspar Riegel, an intendant for Prince Löwenstein, he studied with Franz Xaver Richter in Mannheim and with Niccolò Jommelli in Stuttgart. In 1767 he went to Paris, and from 1783 to 1788 he belonged to a group of composers associated with the Concert Spirituel. On the title page of several of his works published in Paris his name appears as Rigel, and this gallicized form was adopted by his sons, the composers and pianists Henri-Jean Rigel (1772-1852) and Louis Rigel (1769-1811). Henri-Joseph Rigel was one of the earliest composers to write ensemble music with piano, published as “symphonies“ for 2 Violins, Cello, 2 Horns, and Piano. He was a fairly voluminous composer. He wrote several short operas in the manner of the German Singspiel, all of which were produced in Paris unless otherwise given: Le Savetier et le financier (Marly, 1778), L’Automate (1781), Rosanie (1780), Blanche et Vermeille (1781), Lucas et Babet (1787), Les Amours du Gros-Caillou (1786), and Alix de Beaucaire (Montansier, 1791). His other works include 6 symphonies, keyboard concertos, 6 string quartets, several Sonates de clavecin en quattuor, a number of piano sonatas, some with violin obbligato, and 3 Sonates en symphonies for Piano. During the revolutionary period in France, he composed various pieces celebrating the events. He was one of the most respected musicians in Paris during the last quarter of the 18th century. His contemporaries praised the excellence of his teaching as well as the quality of his compositions. His brother Anton Riegel () was also a teacher and composer mainly known by his accompanied keyboard sonatas and chamber works.