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Antoine-Joseph Reicha (1770-1836) published this work, the second of his Six Quintuors Op. 99, with the House of Simrock in 1822, the plate number being 2001. Nikolaus Simrock indicates that this is Quintet No. 14 in his series. The quintets themselves are entitled in Italian (Quintetto) within the parts, and in French (Quintuors) on the Frontispiece. This is the first quintet in the series published by Simrock to include metronomic indications for each movement. I have restricted this information to the descriptions of each movement, rather than placing it in the score.

The instruments are given French names on the frontispiece: flûte, hautbois, clarinette, cor and bassoon; but again, Italian pervades the actual parts: flauto (traverso), oboe, clarinetto, corno, and fagotto. No scores are supplied by Simrock for any of the Op. 99 quintets; in fact, it would have been quite unusual had this been the case. Like madrigals published in the 16th Century, we have‘part-book’ format in use for these works.

Clarinets in Bb and C are specified for this particular composition, while the hand-horn player will use only the F crook. I have supplied parts for all movements entirely in Bb for the clarinet, in order that modern players might avoid transposition at sight in such a complex work.

The Op. 99 Quintuors are set in the following keys:

No. 1 (13) Ut majeur
No. 2 (14) Fà mineur
No. 3 (15) La majeur
No. 4 (16) Ré majeur
No. 5 (17) Sì mineur
No. 6 (18) Sol majeur

In the preface, which is signed by the five members of the original group which played these quintets, it is made clear that these wind players sought, through performing Reicha’s works, to remedy the overwhelming interest awarded to string instruments in chamber music of the day, at the expense of wind ensembles.

The original quintet for which this work was composed consisted of the following members:

Joseph Guillou (1787-1853) flute
Gustave Vogt (1781-1870) oboe
Jacques-Jules Bouffil (1783-?) clarinet
Louis-François Dauprat (1781-1868) horn
One Monsieur Henry was the bassoonist in the ensemble.

First Movement: Larghetto [Eighth note=92]; Allegro [Half note=100]
Structurally speaking, there are no real surprises in this movement: a slow introduction leads to a quick moving sonata form, quite the usual procedure in the Reicha quintets thus far observed. In this case, the exposition consists of six primary themes, all of which are heard again in the recapitulation, excepting that the order of themes is slightly changed: Theme 3 is moved to a position between Themes 5 and 6. The development utilizes Theme 6 and the two closing themes attached to Theme 3. There is no real development to speak of, but the tonalities of the four constituant sections here are interesting: i-biii-vi-V. It must be said that the choice of F Minor for the overall  movement seems special, insofar as this is a relatively dark tonality in the meantone system of temperament. On the technical side, this movement contains a considerable number of subdivision difficulties, and double tonguing is present in the flute part.

But there is nothing to prepare the listener for the heart-wrenching ethnicity of Theme 1. [Did Glinka know this quintet?]; perhaps it is a tune that Reicha remembered from his childhood in Prague. To be sure, this is a quintet that will be played many times just for that theme! As for practical matters, were the half note to be played at 100 during the Allegro, as the Simrock parts indicate, all hell would be sure to break loose ensemble-wise. A more prudent tempo of about 92 to the half note is more appropriate.

Second Movement: Andante [Quarter note=52]
Reicha now presents an exquisite march in the parallel major with the structure: AB AB || Trio transition || AB AB AB. The trio is straightforward, set in rounded binary form and placed in the subdominant, as might be expected; but the da capo of the main march is written out in full and its thematic material is treated to variation.

I find it interesting that, although this movement is clearly set to an eighth-note pulse, the metronomic tactus is designated by the quarter note, the solemn 'cadence' that an actual group of marchers would follow. Is this the work of the publishing house of Simrock? In any case, the tempo is too slow: I would place it at 126 to the eighth note.

Third Movement: Menuetto. Allegro [Dotted half note=104]
This scherzo in F Minor is set up with a rather expansive rounded binary form [Theme1] and trio [Themes 2 and 3]. The trio, itself, consists of a nested rounded binary form in D minor featuring a flute solo [Theme 3] surrounded by contrasting thematic material in F major distributed among the full ensemble [Theme 2]. Reicha has written out both the Menuetto proper and the da capo in full. The addition of a coda in F Major based upon Theme 2 is an inspired choice. The rubric in the Simrock parts, indicating that this scherzo is to be played with the dotted half at 104, boarders on the ridiculous. More stylistically reasonable would be 88 to the dotted half.

Fourth Movement: Allegro poco vivo [Half note=112]
This finale is laid out in sonata form with six themes: it has a coda, but lacks a development section.  On the other hand, the recapitulation contains quite an interesting and expansive episode before Theme 4: perhaps Reicha considered the second half of this sonata form to be a recapitulation/development. For students interested in making a full analysis of this movement, it is first necessary to understand that Theme 1 alternates with Themes 2 and 3 in both exposition and recapitulation as follows: Themes 1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 2. It is after this section in the recapitulation that the special developmental episode is to be found. 

I would say Quarter=96 is a better tempo than Half note=112. The flute part being laced with triple-tonguing, we actually have an excellent indicator of the true pace of the movement. To be sure, I was expecting the earthy ethnic sound found in the opening movement to return, but alas, it is not present. In any case, this Allegro poco vivo is surely a fitting conclusion to a great quintet.