Josef was the uncle of Antoine Reicha and may have influenced his nephew's music through the merits of his partitas. In his youth Josef studied with Werner on both the cello and piano. He was a prominent cellist in the orchestra of the Count of Hartburg and his playing was lauded by Leopold Mozart. Reicha became a leader in the electoral court orchestra in Bonn where the theater orchestra performed sacred works by Caldara and Pergolesi, and operas by Mozart, Gluck, and Salieri. Chromatics and emotive qualities characterized some of his compositions. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi