Johann friedrich reichardt (1752-1814) musician engraving by riedel after anton graff. Composer and music writer, creator of the german liederspiel and of great importance as a song composer. In 1775 he was given the post of royal kapellmeister at the court of frederick the great. In 1789, on leave to travel to italy, he visited goethe in weimar and presented him with the recently completed composition of his singspiel "claudine von villa bella" and many musical settings of his songs. Goethe, disappointed by kayser, believed that in reichardt he had finally found the musical companion he had long been looking for. In the following years a friendly relationship developed between the poet and the composer, who first brought goethe's songs out into the world with his tunes. Due to reichardt's political activities and his statements in favor of the french revolution, relations with goethe cooled, which finally led to a complete break. Only after goethe's illness (1801) did a reconciliation take place, but reichardt did not succeed in regaining his position as a musical advisor and confidant.
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