The son of the composer Franz Anton Ries, the young Ries was educated in music by his father, who taught him piano and violin. The elder Ries was a friend of Beethoven and sent Ferdinand to Vienna with a letter of introduction in 1801. Beethoven helped Ries financially while providing him with a sound musical education. In 1804, Beethoven sent him to the composer Albrechtsberger to study style and composition. In 1805, he went to Paris and spent a few years there living in poverty before returning to Vienna. He was appointed kappelmeister to Jerome Bonaparte, which infuriated Beethoven, as he himself had desired the position. From that point on, there was a permanent rift between the two. During the French occupation of Vienna in 1809, Ries decided to tour Europe as a pianist and was very successful for a number of years. In 1813, he went to England and spent the next eleven years there working as both pianist and composer.He had become very popular and returned to Germany in 1824, eventually settling in Frankfurt where he continued to compose and function as a musical director. During his long career, Ries composed seven symphonies, two oratorios, numerous concertos and a great deal of chamber and piano music. In the past few years his popularity has seen a revival. |
