Ries, Ferdinand (1784-1838)

Ries’s interest in multi-tempo rondo finales can be seen in relatively early works such as the Piano Concerto in C minor, Op.115, composed in Bonn in 1809, and may have prompted him to consider the possibility of writing self-contained concert rondos. The experience of composing and performing works such as the ‘Swedish Variations’ and the ‘Rule Britannia’ Variations also enabled him to experiment with different means of achieving a balance between musical contrast and structural coherence. All of these smaller concerted works exhibit much the same external form: they consist of a lengthy slow introduction that may or may not have a motivic association with the main body of the work. This, be it a rondo or a set of variations, invariably includes sections within it that are contrasted by metre, tonality and tempo thus ensuring that the work contains sufficient variety to keep the audience entertained. The ‘Introduction et Rondeau Brillant,’ WoO54, composed in 1835, is no exception. Although many of Ries’s works remained unpublished at the time of his death, it is symptomatic of his declining fortunes as an artist that such an impressive work as this should have suffered the same fate. It shows no weakening of inspiration either in its thematic ideas or musical organiza-tion nor does the solo writing suggest that Ries’s powers as a performer were in any way diminished. Allan Badley