( March 19 , 1873 – May 11 , 1916 ) was a German Composer , Organist , Pianist and teacher.
Born in Brand, Bavaria , Reger studied music in Munich and Wiesbaden with Hugo Riemann . In 1901 he settled in Munich, where he taught organ and composition, and from 1907 he worked in Leipzig , where he was music director of the university until 1908 and professor of Composition at the Conservatoire until his death. He was also active internationally as a conductor and pianist in that period of time. Among his students there were Joseph Haas and George Szell . From 1911 he Conducted the court Orchestra at Meiningen until it was disbanded in 1914, when he moved to Jena . He died of a Heart Attack in Leipzig .
-Philharmonic-Organ, 1913.]]
During a composing life of little more than 20 years, Reger produced a large output in all genres, nearly always in abstract forms, although few of his compositions are well known today. Many of his works are Fugue s or in Variation Form , including what is probably his best known orchestral work, the ''Variations and Fugue on a theme of Mozart'' (based on the opening theme of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 's '' Piano Sonata, K. 331 ''). He also wrote a large amount of music for Organ , including the ''Fantasy and Fugue on BACH'' (this piece, based on the BACH Motif , is considered one of the most difficult, most demanding ones in organ literature), and music in virtually every other genre ( Opera being a notable exception).
He was a firm supporter of Absolute Music and saw himself as being part of the tradition of Ludwig Van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms . His work often combines the classical structures of these composers with the extended harmonies of Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner and the complex Counterpoint of Johann Sebastian Bach . His organ music, though also influenced by Liszt, was provoked by that tradition. Of his orchestral pieces, his symphonic and richly elaborate ''Hiller Variations'' and ''Mozart Variations'' are justly remembered; of his Chamber Music the lighter-textured trios have retained a place in the repertory, along with some of the works for solo string instruments. His late piano and two-piano music places him as a successor to Brahms in the central German tradition. He pursued intensively, and to its limits, Brahms's continuous development and free Modulation , often also invoking, like Brahms, the aid of Bachian counterpoint: Many of his works are in variation and fugue forms; equally characteristic is a great energy and complexity of thematic growth.
His works were not revolutionary and could be considered retrospective as they followed classical and baroque forms such as the Fugue and Continuo . The influence of the latter can be heard in his chamber works which are deeply reflective and unconventional.
- op. 7 (1892):
- --- ''Prelude and Fugue'' D major
- --- ''Fantasy on 'Te Deum laudamus' ''
- --- ''Fugue'' d Minor
- e Minor op. 16 (1892):
- --- ''Introduction and Fugue''
- --- ''Adagio assai''
- --- ''Intermezzo''
- --- ''Trio''
- --- ''Passacaglia''
- op. 27 (1898)
- c Minor op. 29 (1898)
- op. 30 (1898)
- f# Minor op. 33 (1899)
- op. 40 (1899):
- --- No. 1 ''Wie schön leucht' uns der Morgenstern''
- --- No. 2 ''Straf' mich nicht in deinem Zorn''
- op. 46 (1900)
- op. 47 (1900):
- --- ''Canon''
- --- ''Gigue''
- --- ''Canzonetta''
- --- ''Scherzo''
- --- ''Siciliano''
- --- ''Fugue''
- op. 52 (1900):
- --- No. 1 ''Alle Menschen müssen sterben''
- --- No. 2 ''Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme''
- --- No. 3 ''Halleluja, Gott zu loben''
- op. 56 (1901)
- op. 57 (1901)
- op. 59 (1901)
- d Minor op. 60 (1901):
- --- ''Improvisation''
- --- ''Invocation''
- --- ''Introduction and Fugue''
- op. 63 (1901/1902)
- op. 65 (1902)
- op. 67 (1902)
- op. 69 (1903):
- --- ''Prelude'' e Minor
- --- ''Fugue'' e Minor
- --- ''Basso ostinato'' e Minor
- --- ''Moment musical'' D Major
- --- ''Capriccio'' d Minor
- --- ''Toccata'' D Major
- --- ''Fugue'' D Major
- --- ''Romance'' g Minor
- --- ''Prelude'' a Minor
- --- ''Fugue'' a Minor
- f# Minor op. 73 (1903)
- op. 79b (1901-1904)
- op. 80 (1904):
- --- ''Prelude'' e Minor
- --- ''Fughetta'' e- Minor
- --- ''Canzonetta'' g Minor
- --- ''Gigue'' d Minor
- --- ''Ave Maria'' D-flat Major
- --- ''Intermezzo'' g Minor
- --- ''Scherzo'' f# Minor
- --- ''Romance'' a Minor
- --- ''Perpetuum mobile'' f Minor
- --- ''Intermezzo'' D Major
- --- ''Toccata'' a Minor
- --- ''Fugue'' a Minor
- op. 85 (1904)
- g Minor op. 92 (1905):
- --- ''Prelude''
- --- ''Fugue''
- --- ''Intermezzo''
- --- ''Basso ostinato''
- --- ''Romance''
- --- ''Toccata''
- --- ''Fugue''
- e Minor op. 127 (1913)
- op. 129 (1913):
- --- ''Toccata'' d Minor
- --- ''Fugue'' d Minor
- --- ''Kanon'' e Minor
- --- ''Melodia'' B-flat Major
- --- ''Capriccio'' g Minor
- --- ''Basso ostinato'' g Minor
- --- ''Intermezzo'' f Minor
- --- ''Prelude'' b Minor
- --- ''Fugue'' b Minor
- op. 135a (1914)
- d Minor op. 135b (1915)
- op. 145 (1915/1916):
- --- ''Funeral Ode''
- --- ''Psalm of Thanksgiving''
- --- ''Christmas''
- --- ''Passion''
- --- ''Easter''
- --- ''Pentecost''
- --- ''Victory Celebration''
- d Minor (1899)
- c Minor (1900)
- (1901)
- d Minor (1902)
- . J. S. Bach's Two-Part Inventions, arranged for organ solo by Max Reger and Karl Straube (1903)
- a Minor for Harmonium, Organ version by the composer (1904)
- g# Minor (1906)
- f# Minor (1912)
- :
- --- ''O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid'' (1893)
- --- ''Komm, süßer Tod'' (1894)
- --- ''Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende'' (1900)
- --- ''Christ ist erstanden von dem Tod'' (1901)
- Violin Sonata s
- ---Without piano
--Four violin solo sonatas in opus 42
--Seven violin solo sonatas in opus 91
- ---With piano
--Violin Sonata #1 op. 1 in D minor
--Violin Sonata #2 op. 3 in D major
--Violin Sonata #3 op. 41 in A major
--Violin Sonata #4 op. 72 in C (gave rise to a critical scandal at its premiere, juxtaposed with the first sonata by Ludwig Thuille )
--Violin Sonata #5 op. 84 in F-sharp minor
--Violin Sonata #6 op. 103b/1 in D minor
--Violin Sonata #7 op. 103b/2 in A
--Violin Sonata #8 op. 122 in E minor ( 1911 , premiered Leipzig)
--Violin Sonata #9 op. 139 in C minor ( 1915 )
- Cello Sonata s
- ---Cello Sonata #1 op. 5 in F minor
- ---Cello Sonata #2 op. 28 in G minor
- ---Cello Sonata #3 op. 78 in F major
- ---Cello Sonata #4 op. 116 in A minor
- Serenade s
- ---Serenade #1 opus 77a in D major (flute, violin, viola)
- ---Serenade #2 opus 141a in G major (flute, violin, viola)
- String Trio s
- ---String Trio #1 opus 77b in A minor
- ---String Trio #2 opus 141b in D minor
- Piano Trio s
- ---Piano Trio #1 opus 2 in B minor (violin, viola, piano)
- ---Piano Trio #2 opus 102 in E minor
- String Quartet s
- ---String Quartet ''#0'' in D minor, with optional Double Bass in finale
- ---String Quartet #1 Opus 54 number 1 in G minor
- ---String Quartet #2 opus 54 number 2 in A major
- ---String Quartet #3 opus 74 in D minor
- ---String Quartet #4 opus 109 in E-flat major
- ---String Quartet #5 opus 121 in F-sharp minor
- Piano Quartet s
- ---Piano Quartet #1 opus 113 in D minor
- ---Piano Quartet #2 opus 133 in A minor
- Piano Quintet s
- ---Piano Quintet #1 op. posthumous in C minor
- ---Piano Quintet #2 op. 64 in C minor
- Piano Solo (selections)
- ---Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Bach, opus 81
- ---Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Telemann, opus 134
- Also
- ---Clarinet quintet op. 146 in A major
- ---String sextet op. 118 in F major
- ---Three Suites for Viola op. 131d
- Anderson, Christopher (2003). ''Max Reger and Karl Straube: Perspectives on an Organ Performing Tradition.'' Aldershot, Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 0754630757.
- Bittmann, Antonius (2004). ''Max Reger and Historicist Modernisms.'' Baden-Baden: Koerner. ISBN 3-87320-595-5.
- Cadenbach, Rainer (1991). ''Max Reger und Seine Zeit.'' Laaber, Germany: Laaber-Verlag. ISBN 3890071406.
- Grim, William (1988). ''Max Reger: A Bio-Bibliography.'' Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313253110.
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