Alexander Robert Reinagle (23 April 1756 – 21 September 1809) was an English-born American composer, organist, and theater musician. He should not be confused with his nephew of the same name, Alexander Robert Reinagle (21 August 1799 – 6 April 1877), also a composer and organist, who lived all his life in Britain. He was close friends with a young

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

when he visited London. He was influenced by

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

and

Clementi Clementi may refer to: People * Aldo Clementi (1925–2011), Italian composer * Carlo Mazzone-Clementi (1920–2000), Italian actor and mime * Cecil Clementi (1875–1947), British colonial administrator, Governor of Hong Kong and Straits Sett ...

Scotland

Reinagle was born in

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

, England. His father was a Hungarian professional musician and his mother was Scots. His brother was Joseph Reinagle. He studied music with his father, then with

Raynor Taylor Raynor Taylor (1747 – 17 August 1825) was an English organist, music teacher, composer, and singer who lived and worked in the United States after emigrating in 1792. Active in composing music for the theater, outdoor pleasure garden, and the Ang ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

. He went on a trip to London in 1763. He met Mozart and his family a year later. At first, Reinagle made a living in the shipping industry, making several trips to the American colonies during the 1770s. In Edinburgh, he taught music and presented several concerts. His first keyboard compositions were published in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

and became popular in the American colonies.

New York and Philadelphia

In 1786, Reinagle decided to try his fortune as a professional musician in the newly independent

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

. He moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, and, later moved again to

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, which was the national capital at the time. He helped revitalize the musical life of Philadelphia in the 1790s, introducing that city to the music of

and

, as well as his own original compositions. One of Reinagle's admirers was American President

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

. In 1789, Reinagle composed a "Chorus", which was performed for Washington at

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County. It was the federal capital, capital of the United States from November 1 until D ...

, during Washington's journey to his inauguration. Later, in Philadelphia, Nellie Custis, Washington's step-granddaughter, was one of Reinagle's music students. Washington was a frequent concertgoer, and could often be seen in the audience at Reinagle's concerts. On Washington's death in 1799, Reinagle composed a ''Monody on the Death of George Washington''. In Philadelphia, Reinagle worked closely with

Thomas Wignell Thomas Wignell (1753 – 21 February 1803) was an English-born actor and theatre manager in the colonial United States. Early years Thomas Wignell was born into a working theatre family. He was born in England to his parents John and Henriet ...

in producing opera ballets with the New Company, at the Chestnut Street Theater. Reinagle and Wignell produced over 75 programs with the New Company. At Wignell's death in 1803, Reinagle moved to

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

, where he became associated with the Holliday Street Theater. He died in Baltimore in 1809, and is buried in Old Saint Paul's Cemetery there.

Reinagle's music

His earliest compositions, from his days in Edinburgh, include a set of duos for two cellos, Opus 2, and ''Variations on Famous Scots Tunes'', published in Glasgow and later in Philadelphia. He also composed ''Twenty-four Short and Easy Lessons'', a series of teaching pieces for keyboard, which he later used in his teaching in Philadelphia. Once in America, Reinagle continued to compose short pieces for special occasions, often with titles alluding to American personalities and ideas. Pieces such as his ''Federal March'', ''President Madison’s March'' and ''Mrs. Madison’s Minuet'' are usually short and in the

binary form Binary form is a musical form in 2 related sections, both of which are usually repeated. Binary is also a structure used to choreograph dance. In music this is usually performed as A-A-B-B. Binary form was popular during the Baroque music, Baro ...

associated with dance music of the time. Of more interest is the set of four keyboard

sonatas In music a sonata (; pl. ''sonate'') literally means a piece ''played'' as opposed to a cantata (Latin and Italian ''cantare'', "to sing"), a piece ''sung''. The term evolved through the Music history, history of music, designating a variety of ...

. Reinagle composed these when he first arrived in Philadelphia; hence they are sometimes called the "Philadelphia Sonatas". These are the first sonatas composed in the United States. They are substantial works, each in two or three movements. While they show the influence of

C. P. E. Bach Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (8 March 1714 – 14 December 1788), also formerly spelled Karl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, and commonly abbreviated C. P. E. Bach, was a German composer and musician of the Baroque and Classical period. He was the fifth ch ...

(one of Reinagle's idols), they demonstrate Reinagle's unique approach to form and motivic development. Much of Reinagle's theater music was lost when the Chestnut Street Theater burned down in 1820.

Selected stage works

* ''Robin Hood, or Sherwood Forest'' (10.3.1794 Philadelphia) ev. (W. Shield)* ''St Patrick's Day, or The Scheming Lieutenant'' (17.3.1794 Philadelphia) * ''La forêt noire'' (26.4.1794 Philadelphia) * ''The Spanish Barber, or The Fruitless Precaution'' (7.7.1794 Philadelphia) B. Carr ev. (S. Arnold)* ''Harlequin Shipwreck'd, or The Grateful Lion'' (2.1.1795 Philadelphia) * ''The Purse, or Benevolent Tar'' (7.1.1795 Philadelphia) ev. (Arnold)* ''The Volunteers'' (21.1.1795 Philadelphia) * ''Auld Robin Gray, or Jamie's Return from America'' (4.5.1795 Philadelphia) ev. (Arnold)* ''The Sicilian Romance, or The Apparition of the Cliffs'' (6.5.1795 Philadelphia) * '' Harlequin's Invasion'' (12.6.1795 Philadelphia) * ''The Warrior's Welcome Home'' (10.2.1796 Philadelphia) * ''The Witches of the Rocks, or Harlequin Everywhere'' (26.2.1796 Philadelphia) * ''The Lucky Escape, or The Ploughman Turned Sailor'' (14.3.1796 Philadelphia) ev. (C. Dibdin)* ''Columbus, or The Discovery of America'' (30.1.1797 Philadelphia) * ''The Savoyard, or The Repentant Seducer'' (12.7.1797 Philadelphia) * ''The Italian Monk'' (11.4.1798 Philadelphia) ev. (Arnold)?* ''The Arabs of the Desert, or Harlequin's Flight from Egypt'' (13.4.1799 Philadelphia) * ''The Constellation, or A Wreath for American Tars'' (30.12.1799 Philadelphia) * ''A Wreath for American Tars, or Huzza Again for the Constitution'' (8.4.1800 Philadelphia) * ''The Double Disguise'' (18.4.1800 Philadelphia) * ''Harlequin Freemason'' (21.4.1800 Philadelphia) ev. (Dibdin)* ''The Sailor's Daughter'' (10.12.1804 Philadelphia) * ''The Wife of Two Husbands'' (1.3.1805 Philadelphia) * ''Mary, Queen of Scots'' (15.1.1806 Philadelphia) * ''The Travellers, or Music's Fascination'' (20.4.1807 Philadelphia) ev. (D. Corri)?

Selected discography

* Reinagle, Alexander. Three Keyboard Sonatas. (

Jack Winerock Jack Winerock is an American classical pianist and piano professor in the Department of Music and Dance in the School of Fine Arts at the University of Kansas, United States. Biography A native of New York City, Winerock attended The High School o ...

, pf.) Musical Heritage Society, MHS 3359. Played on the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Broadwood piano.Richard Crawford
Music of the Federal Era
, New World Records liner notes, p. 21

Notes

External links

* ttps://archive.today/20070702045138/http://dram.nyu.edu/dram/Composer/3038 Recordings from the Database of Recorded American Music*Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, 7th edition, copyright: 1984 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Reinagle, Alexander 1756 births 1809 deaths 18th-century classical composers 18th-century British male musicians American classical composers American opera composers American male opera composers English classical composers English male classical composers English opera composers Musicians from Philadelphia Musicians from Portsmouth Classical musicians from Pennsylvania