Ferdinand Ries

Ferdinand Ries (1784–1838) was a Bonn-born pupil of Beethoven who published a collection of reminiscences of his teacher. He was also a composer who left eight symphonies, a violin concerto and nine piano concertos, and numerous other works in many genres. Of these the symphonies, some chamber works — most of them with piano — and one of his concertos have been recorded, demonstrating a style which is not surprisingly somewhere between that of the Classic and early Romantic eras.

Cecil Hill wrote a scholarly thematic catalog, listed below, of this composer's works, with for each work incipits (opening themes) for each movement, dedications, known early reviews, and known dates of composition.

The symphonies are:

• no. 1 in D, op. 23
• no. 2 in C minor, op. 80
• no. 3 in Eb, op. 90
• no. 4 in F, op. 110
• no. 5 in D minor, op. 112
• no. 6 in D, op. 146
• an unpublished symphony in Eb
• no. 7 in A minor, op. 181

Books

• Hill, Cecil. Ferdinand Ries: A Thematic Catalogue. Armidale, NSW: University of New England. 1977. ISBN 0858341565.
• Ries, Ferdinand. Beethoven Remembered: The Biographical Notes of Franz Wegeler and Ferdinand Ries (translated from the German.) Arlington, VA: Great Ocean Publishers. 1987. ISBN 0915556154.