A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Reeve, William

REEVE, William, born 1757; after quitting school, was placed with a law stationer in Chancery Lane, where his fellow writer was Joseph Munden, afterwards the celebrated comedian. Determined however upon making music his profession, he became a pupil of Richardson, organist of St. James, Westminster. In 1781 he was appointed organist of Totnes, Devonshire, where he remained till about 1783, when he was engaged as composer at Astley's. He was next for some time an actor at the regular theatres. In 1791, being then a chorus singer at Covent Garden, he was applied to to complete the composition of the music for the ballet-pantomime of 'Oscar and Malvina,' left unfinished by Shield, who, upon some differences with the manager, had resigned his appointment. Reeve thereupon produced an overture and some vocal music, which were much admired, and led to his being appointed composer to the theatre. In 1792 he was elected organist of St. Martin, Ludgate. In 1802 he became part proprietor of Sadler's Wells Theatre. His principal dramatic compositions were 'Oscar and Malvina,' and 'Tippoo Saib,' 1791; 'Orpheus and Eurydice,' partly adapted from Gluck, 1792; 'The Apparition,' 'British Fortitude,' 'Hercules and Omphale,' and 'The Purse,' 1794; 'Merry Sherwood,' 1795; 'Harlequin and Oberon,' 1796, 'Bantry Bay,' 'The Round Tower,' and 'Harlequin and Quixote,' 1797; 'Joan of Arc,' 'Ramah Droog' (with Mazzinghi), 1798; 'The Turnpike Gate' (with Mazzinghi), and 'The Embarkation,' 1799; 'Paul and Virginia' (with Mazzinghi), 1800; 'Harlequin's Almanack,' 'The Blind Girl' (with Mazzinghi), 1801; 'The Cabinet' (with Braham, Davy, and Moorehead), and 'Family Quarrels' (with Braham and Moorehead), 1802; 'The Caravan,' 1803; 'The Dash,' 'Thirty Thousand' (with Davy and Braham), 1804; 'Out of Place' (with Braham), 1805; 'The White Plume,' and 'Au Bratach,' 1806; 'Kais' (with Braham), 1808; 'Tricks upon Travellers' (part), 1810; and 'The Outside Passenger' (with Whitaker and D. Corri), 1811. He wrote music for some pantomimes at Sadler's Wells; amongst them 'Bang up,' by C. Dibdin, jun., containing the favourite Clown's song, 'Tipity wichet,' for Grimaldi. He was also author of 'The Juvenile Preceptor, or Entertaining Instructor,' etc. He died June 22, 1815.

[ W. H. H. ]