Max Reger

Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger (19 March 1873 – 11 May 1916) was a German composer, pianist, organist, conductor, and teacher. He worked in many musical roles, including as a concert pianist, a musical director at the Leipzig University Church, a professor at the Royal Conservatory in Leipzig, and a music director at the court of George II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

At first, Reger composed mainly songs called Lieder, music for small groups of instruments, choir music, and works for piano and organ. Later, he began writing music for larger orchestras, such as the well-known Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart, created in 1914. He also wrote pieces for choir and orchestra, including Gesang der Verklärten, Der 100. Psalm, Der Einsiedler, and the Hebbel Requiem, all written between 1903 and 1915.

Biography

Max Reger was born in Brand, Bavaria and grew up in a family that loved music. He learned to play several instruments as a young boy. When he was five, he started learning organ, violin, and cello from his father, and piano from his mother.

Reger loved music so much that he decided to make it his career. He studied music and began composing pieces for piano, organ, and choir. His early works included songs and chamber music. Over the years, he took on many roles, including being a music director at the Leipzig University Church and a professor at the Royal Conservatory in Leipzig. He also became the music director for the court of Duke Georg II of Saxe-Meiningen.

Reger kept composing until his health began to fail. He passed away from a heart attack in 1916 while staying in Leipzig. Even after his death, his music continued to be remembered and appreciated by many.

Works

Main article: List of compositions by Max Reger

Max Reger created many pieces of music in just over 25 years. He was well known in Germany during his time. A lot of his music was in special styles, like fugues or variations. One famous piece is the Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart, which uses a theme from Mozart’s piano music.

Reger wrote a lot of music for the organ. Some of his most popular organ pieces are the Benedictus from his Op. 59 and the Fantasy and Fugue on BACH, Op. 46. He also recorded some of his organ works on a special instrument called the Welte Philharmonic organ.

Although Reger did not write operas or symphonies, he did compose a piece called a Sinfonietta, which is Op. 90. His music often mixed ideas from older composers like Beethoven and Brahms with new harmonies from Liszt and Wagner, adding complex patterns from Bach.

Reger also wrote many songs and choral works, including a piece called Der 100. Psalm and a Requiem dedicated to soldiers of World War I. He used poems by many famous writers in his music. His compositions often looked back to older styles, using techniques like fugue and continuo.

Reception

In 1898, a writer named Caesar Hochstetter wrote about Max Reger in a music magazine. He praised Reger as a very talented young composer. To thank him, Reger dedicated two of his piano pieces to Hochstetter.

Reger had a difficult relationship with another writer, Rudolf Louis, who often said negative things about Reger’s music. After a performance of Reger’s Sinfonietta, Louis wrote a harsh review. Reger responded with a playful note.

Later, the famous composer Arnold Schoenberg admired Reger’s work. In a letter, he said Reger was a genius and should be performed more often.

Films

A documentary called Max Reger – Music as a perpetual state, made by Andreas Pichler and Ewald Kontschieder, came out in 2002. It was the first true film about Max Reger and worked with the Max-Reger-Institute.

Another film, Max Reger: The Last Giant, shows Reger's life and music. It is part of a special 6 DVD set named Maximum Reger, released in December 2016 to remember the 100th year since Reger passed away. This set, made by Fugue State Films, includes the film and pieces of Reger's best music played by Frauke May, Bernhard Haas, Bernhard Buttmann and the Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt.