The New International Encyclopædia/Reber, Napoléon Henri

REBER, rā'bâr', Napoléon Henri (1807-80). A French composer, born at Mühlhausen, Alsace. He studied with Reicha and Le Sueur, wrote hamber-music, and set to music the new songs of the best French poets. He became professor of harmony at the Conservatory in 1851, and succeeded Halévy as professor of composition in 1862, He was inspector of the branch conservatories from 1871 and elected to Onslow's chair in the Académie in 1853. Among his works are: A ballet, Le diable amoureux (1840); the comic operas, La nuit de Noël ( 1848), Le père Gaillard (1852), Les papillotes de M. Benoist (1853), and Les dames capitaines (1857). His instrumental works, which are written in the spirit of the German classics, consist of four symphonies, one overture, and one suite for the orchestra, three stringed quartets, one stringed quintet, one pianoforte quartet, seven pianoforte trios, and pieces for the pianoforte and violin. For the voice he wrote thirty-three songs with pianoforte accompaniment, a Chœer de pirates, Le soir, an Ave Maria and Agnus Dei for two sopranos, tenor, bass, and organs, besides Vocalises for soprano or tenor. His Traité d'harmonie (1862) ranks among the best modern works on theory and has been reprinted several times. He died in Paris.