In the autumn of 1791, Covent Garden's house composer, William Shield, left abruptly and Reeve took over the position for £4 a week.
After Shield's return in 1792 Reeve became organist of St Martin Ludgate but continued as a freelance composer for London's patent and minor theatres.
Reeve wrote largely to support and highlight the talents of specific performers, such as the clown Joseph Grimaldi at Sadler's Wells, and to provide easy listening.
He could rapidly compose strophic comic songs in the popular Scottish style and compile scores based on genuine ballads and folksongs.
Some of his other popular later works included a melodrama, The Purse (1794), a Robin Hood pantomime, Merry Sherwood (1795) (especially the drinking song I am a friar of orders grey) and a comic opera, The Cabinet (1802).