(28 November 1784 [baptised] – 13 January 1838)
was a German composer. Ries was a friend, pupil and secretary of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Septet in E-flat major, Op. 25.
I. Adagio molto — Allegro molto con brio
II. Marcia funèbre
III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
IV. Rondo. Allegro
Linos Ensemble
Septet: clarinet (B♭), 2 horns (E♭/C), violin, cello, contrabass, piano
Ries dedicated his Op. 25 to Count Razumovsky (Andrey Kirillovich Razumovsky) The Count was a great admirer of Beethoven as such Ries must have known him also very well. His support for Beethoven starts as early as his first publication (1795), the Piano Trios Op.1., where he was one of the first subscribers.
Their most famous cooperation is the Razumovsky Quartets (Op.59.). Important part of the commission agreement was that all three compositions must have Russian folk themes, something Beethoven honored. 1806 was exceptionally fruitful for the composer and as such he finished all three string quartets (and many other significant pieces) between April and November.
In 1808 he established his own string quartet, including the famous Viennese violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh. He himself was a fair violin and a good torban player. As a violinist he was tutored by Haydn himself and often sat in as second violinist in house concerts.
1808 is also the date of Ries' Quintet or Septet. I assume that that is not a coincidence meaning that the work very probably was written for one of those house concerts.