Reicha ran away from his widowed mother to study with his uncle Josef, a virtuoso cellist, composer and director who taught him violin, piano and flute. His fellow students included Beethoven and Neefe. In Hamburg in 1794 Reicha taught piano, composition and harmony and began his personal study of mathmatics, philosophy and meditation. Reicha's professional career included a position as professor of counterpoint at the Conservatoire in Paris and an appointment as Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. Berlioz and Liszt were among his students. His compositions are difficult to classify as musical, theoretical or pedogogical. They are a blend of the artistic and the didactic as well as experimental in mode and meter. He wrote several operas, most of which failed, but Reicha enjoyed considerable popularity in his day. His other compositions include works in counterpoint, choral and chamber works. He is remembered as one of the most important theorists of his time and his many treatises contained the beginnings of important musical developments for the following generations. ~ Lynn Vought, Rovi