I heard his Clarinet Quintet yesterday and thought it was very beautiful. Comes recommended. His string quartets seem to be rather good too, although I haven't explored them extensively..
Bach
You should check out his orchestral works. There's a 7-CD set out on Berlin Classics that I heard is pretty good.
Big Reger fan: he's like a Modernistic Brahms--especially in his extensive chamber œuvre.
Yes, his Clarinet Quintet is right up there at least with Fuchs' and Hindemith's.
His five String Quartets; two Piano Quartets; Violin Sonatas; Cello Sonatas; Piano Trio; Piano Quintet; and masterpiece, the String Sextet (a new reading recently issued):
http://www.amazon.com/Reger-Clarine...et-String-Sextet/dp/B001TN0VG0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1271796087&sr=1-5
Yes, his Clarinet Quintet is right up there at least with Fuchs' and Hindemith's.
His five String Quartets; two Piano Quartets; Violin Sonatas; Cello Sonatas; Piano Trio; Piano Quintet; and masterpiece, the String Sextet (a new reading recently issued):
http://www.amazon.com/Reger-Clarine...et-String-Sextet/dp/B001TN0VG0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1271796087&sr=1-5
Among the vocal works, his "Requiem nach Hebbel" has very beautiful musical content, cf. the Bader recording, but its text repeats the gloomy words "Seele, Vergisst Nicht Den Tod" a little too many times. Another impressive, more varied vocal work is the monumental "Gesang der Verklärten".
I've just "discovered" Reger, by his Quintet for clarinet.
Very very good.
He appears to be a little underrated?
Very very good.
He appears to be a little underrated?
Reger's famous quote -
"I am sitting in the smallest room of the house. I have your review before me. In a moment, it will be behind me."
I like much of Max's work, while leaning toward the orchestral. Recommendations: Brocklin Suite & Hiller Variations, with Jarvi; Romantic Suite and Mozart Variations, with Zagrosek and Salonen.
Don't forget the piano works with Hamelin. Sidenote: Reger taught George Szell.
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"I am sitting in the smallest room of the house. I have your review before me. In a moment, it will be behind me."
I like much of Max's work, while leaning toward the orchestral. Recommendations: Brocklin Suite & Hiller Variations, with Jarvi; Romantic Suite and Mozart Variations, with Zagrosek and Salonen.
Don't forget the piano works with Hamelin. Sidenote: Reger taught George Szell.
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Can hardly believe how much the man composed and yet he died in his early 40s. I've only one disc of his chamber work so I've neglected him badly considering I'm a big fan of late romantic chamber music in general - I'll have to get more one day.
One of the most unjustly underrated composers in my opinion. I love almost everything I've heard from him, especially some of his piano music; reminds me of another set of Brahms intermezzos basically, which are my favorite set of piano pieces.
Wow never knew that Reger did two hands piano transcriptions of the Brandeburgs and Bach's Orchestral Suites. I'm always fascinated by piano reductions, will have to get these.
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Max Reger has been my discovery of the year. His organ music was the gateway for other genres, and I find his orchestral, chamber, and, especially, choral music to be outstanding and original. You gotta love any composer who's been characterized (and vilified) as a hopelessly retrospective Bach imitator who, at the same time, anticipated Hindemith; a true Brahmsian child of German Romanticism; and a daring, Lisztian/Wagnerian chromaticist who would sire Viennese atonalism.
I understand that his music was (is?) out of fashion among audience and critics alike. Something about "torturous" and "meandering" harmonic structures, endless fugue and counterpoint, etc.
Where do Talk Classical members stand on Reger? Can somebody help me understand his critical fortunes? Are they now waxing? It may simply be that I don't know enough about music to dislike Reger!
I understand that his music was (is?) out of fashion among audience and critics alike. Something about "torturous" and "meandering" harmonic structures, endless fugue and counterpoint, etc.
Where do Talk Classical members stand on Reger? Can somebody help me understand his critical fortunes? Are they now waxing? It may simply be that I don't know enough about music to dislike Reger!
^^^
Concerning your started thread, Reger certainly hasn´t had much support among non-German-speaking musicians in the 20th century; Rudolf Serkin was one of the few who tried to promote him "abroad". He wasn´t really dealt with by prestigious record labels either, except from a few DG releases now and then. Even today, his chamber music is quite poorly served by recordings, for example.
There are attractive works enough in the oeuvre to have justified an alternative course of events, though ...
Concerning your started thread, Reger certainly hasn´t had much support among non-German-speaking musicians in the 20th century; Rudolf Serkin was one of the few who tried to promote him "abroad". He wasn´t really dealt with by prestigious record labels either, except from a few DG releases now and then. Even today, his chamber music is quite poorly served by recordings, for example.
There are attractive works enough in the oeuvre to have justified an alternative course of events, though ...
dbcrow's OP from other thread...
'Max Reger has been my discovery of the year. His organ music was the gateway for other genres, and I find his orchestral, chamber, and, especially, choral music to be outstanding and original. You gotta love any composer who's been characterized (and vilified) as a hopelessly retrospective Bach imitator who, at the same time, anticipated Hindemith; a true Brahmsian child of German Romanticism; and a daring, Lisztian/Wagnerian chromaticist who would sire Viennese atonalism.
I understand that his music was (is?) out of fashion among audience and critics alike. Something about "torturous" and "meandering" harmonic structures, endless fugue and counterpoint, etc.
Where do Talk Classical members stand on Reger? Can somebody help me understand his critical fortunes? Are they now waxing? It may simply be that I don't know enough about music to dislike Reger!'
___________________________
The music of Max Reger has probably provided the biggest u-turn in my classical listening so far. I had a few orchestral and chamber works by him and although I could listen to them I initially thought them stodgy, anachronistic and seemingly unable to escape the shackles of Brahms. Perhaps I also had too many preconceptions due to his unfashionable penchant for fugal writing at a time when composers such as Ives, Skryabin and Schoenberg were going down completely different paths.
Then suddenly something happened and I totally warmed to those very same compositions which led to me taking the plunge and buying an excellent 7-disc set on Berlin Classics of nearly all of his orchestral works. For stodgy/anachronistic/ersatz Brahms read sturdy but logical/taking some long-established forms to their absolute limit/with a voice of its own.
It's mind-boggling how many works he might have composed in total had he lived another 25 years (I'm sure he was biding his time in Brahmsian fashion before tackling the symphony), but what is tantalising is how his style would have evolved had he made it into the 1920s.
'Max Reger has been my discovery of the year. His organ music was the gateway for other genres, and I find his orchestral, chamber, and, especially, choral music to be outstanding and original. You gotta love any composer who's been characterized (and vilified) as a hopelessly retrospective Bach imitator who, at the same time, anticipated Hindemith; a true Brahmsian child of German Romanticism; and a daring, Lisztian/Wagnerian chromaticist who would sire Viennese atonalism.
I understand that his music was (is?) out of fashion among audience and critics alike. Something about "torturous" and "meandering" harmonic structures, endless fugue and counterpoint, etc.
Where do Talk Classical members stand on Reger? Can somebody help me understand his critical fortunes? Are they now waxing? It may simply be that I don't know enough about music to dislike Reger!'
___________________________
The music of Max Reger has probably provided the biggest u-turn in my classical listening so far. I had a few orchestral and chamber works by him and although I could listen to them I initially thought them stodgy, anachronistic and seemingly unable to escape the shackles of Brahms. Perhaps I also had too many preconceptions due to his unfashionable penchant for fugal writing at a time when composers such as Ives, Skryabin and Schoenberg were going down completely different paths.
Then suddenly something happened and I totally warmed to those very same compositions which led to me taking the plunge and buying an excellent 7-disc set on Berlin Classics of nearly all of his orchestral works. For stodgy/anachronistic/ersatz Brahms read sturdy but logical/taking some long-established forms to their absolute limit/with a voice of its own.
It's mind-boggling how many works he might have composed in total had he lived another 25 years (I'm sure he was biding his time in Brahmsian fashion before tackling the symphony), but what is tantalising is how his style would have evolved had he made it into the 1920s.
I heard his string quartets and the clarinet quintet for the first time earlier this year (Drolc Quartet with Karl Leister, DG) and also thought them very fine indeed, perhaps paving the way for Hindemith and Bartok's later works.
G
People of TCland, what are your favorite Reger mediums/genres/subgenres?
Interesting that I first heard of Reger when reading about the organ repertoire, and yet people speak more often of his quartets or his orchestral variations. Nothing has disappointed yet, among selections from his clarinet sonatas, string quartets, orchestral works, and organ works. Well, there was one chorale fantasia (I believe it was the one on Ein Feste Burg) that seemed a little awkward.
Interesting that I first heard of Reger when reading about the organ repertoire, and yet people speak more often of his quartets or his orchestral variations. Nothing has disappointed yet, among selections from his clarinet sonatas, string quartets, orchestral works, and organ works. Well, there was one chorale fantasia (I believe it was the one on Ein Feste Burg) that seemed a little awkward.
About a decade ago, I heard three sonatas, either violin or viola. I was rather fond of them and all of these years, I have been curious about his other works. Today, after Mahlerian's hint, I explored a good number of works, choosing the famous Clarinet Quintet, his Fifth String Quartet, Träume am Kamin for solo piano and An die Hoffnung for voice and piano. I was hesitant and vacillating, but intrigued enough to hear some orchestral works, too. I picked the Romantic Suite, the Piano Concerto and the Sinfonietta. It was the latter which finally decided me-I want to hear more Reger!
Reger was an organist and the organ seems to sound through his music, so I intend to hear some of his organ works next. I have the impression that his music sounds, at first listen, lighter than it really is. I haven't made up my mind yet, whether he'll be in my hearem
Reger was an organist and the organ seems to sound through his music, so I intend to hear some of his organ works next. I have the impression that his music sounds, at first listen, lighter than it really is. I haven't made up my mind yet, whether he'll be in my hearem
New box on Warner Classics. 8 CDs for cheap. Heavy on the organ music.
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Warner+Classics/9029597482
The Brilliant box has more variety and 11 CDs for another 5 dollars.
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Brilliant+Classics/94663
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Warner+Classics/9029597482
The Brilliant box has more variety and 11 CDs for another 5 dollars.
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Brilliant+Classics/94663
If Bach, Brahms and Wagner had a child, it would be... Never mind.
Apart from his organ works I am not very familiar with the majority of Reger's output, unfortunately.
I was also very impressed with the Mozart Variations, he was definitely a great orchestrator. I am really looking forward to discovering more of his compositions, especially his lieder and chamber music.
Apart from his organ works I am not very familiar with the majority of Reger's output, unfortunately.
His chromaticism and contrapuntal writing appeal to me very much. Since I am obsessed with fugues, I am quite fond of his style!
I was also very impressed with the Mozart Variations, he was definitely a great orchestrator. I am really looking forward to discovering more of his compositions, especially his lieder and chamber music.
I've never listened to Max Reger and I never had an interest previously. After hearing on this thread of clarinet chamber music and a resemblance to Brahms I have changed my mind I'll try some Reger this weekend
I'll try some Reger this weekend-
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