Max Reger(1873-1916)

[Herman]

Well, IMO the op 74 variation (3d) movement is really beautiful and not over the top in any way.

Maybe it's the last-word fallacy but I can't help but feel especially nr 5 has a greater depth. Of course this would apply even more to the clarinet quintet.

The opening mvt of the op 121 with its furious drive and its reiterated reaching for a simple waltz rhythm (the entire mvt is in 3/4) is (to me) tremendously affecting.

[Mandryka]

I have no precise recollection but I dimly recall op.74 and one of op.54 as "monstrous". Extremely long, extremely dense and unmelodic, out-brahmsing Brahms and out-baching Bach as Reger could be often characterised. Not anything I am going to listen to in summer, I am afraid...

What intrigues me, what's really caught my imagination, is the transitions from one section to another, in the first movement. And as Herman says, the variations are beautiful and the second movement is full of brio. It's more true to say that it's not short than it is to say that it's long  -- Schubert G major or Beethoven op 131/132 length.

[Herman]

I will listen to op 74 tonight.

[Mandryka]

Try to hear Berne if you can, it's streaming everywhere, I think it's more successful than Mannheimer (just on the basis of listening to the first 15 minutes of Mannheimer I should say! It could just be me needing to get used to a different approach.)

[Mandryka]

Outstanding op 74 here, from Berlin Philharmonia Quartet.

[André]

Outstanding op 74 here, from Berlin Philharmonia Quartet.

+1. My favourite recording of the work.

[Mandryka]

Everything about this one seems valuable to me - performances and sonatas. Op 116 is turning out to be my favourite Reger cello sonata, op 139 my favourite Reger violin sonata.

[JBS]

I was just listening to that recording of Opus 116 the other day, but with a different coupling

[Mandryka]

I don't know if it's just me who's in the mood, but a really sweet op 74 here. Real heavenly lengths.

[Mandryka]

As you can see Siegfried Mauser has been involved in at least two recordings of op 139. They caught my interest because the first movement in both cases is unusually extended. The one on Hänsler - with Nachum Erlich - seems really interesting to me. Anyway I can say this: I'm enjoying it this evening.

Although this is probably of interest to no one other than yours truly, I'd noticed Nachum Erlich before in a recording, a very beautiful recording, of Wolfgang Rihm's 3 Vorspiele, on a collection released by the Karlsruhe Schule.

[Herman]

A splendid 2016 Leipzig Gewandhaus performance of Reger's Piano Concerto has been downloaded on youtube, with Peter Serkin on piano and Herbert Blomstedt as always delving pretty deep into MR's music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2lM21hM_4c

[Jo498]

It's a pity that Rudolf and Peter Serkin, probably the best known 20th/21st century pianists who really cared for Reger's music made so few commercial recordings of Reger. Maybe it didn't even sell well with Serkin on the cover.

[lordlance]

I dislike Bach immensely for his dryness. Reger looked up to him and I have read he could be dry but when I heard his Hiller Variations I wasn't actively turned off. It's not as unappealing as Bach. I might explore more of Reger.

[Spotted Horses]

I dislike Bach immensely for his dryness. Reger looked up to him and I have read he could be dry but when I heard his Hiller Variations I wasn't actively turned off. It's not as unappealing as Bach. I might explore more of Reger.

Reger wrote works that were strongly inspired by Bach (Suites for Cello Unaccompanied, etc) but his chamber music is like Brahms on steroids and his orchestral music was often characterized by saccharine sweetness. I mostly like the chamber music.

[Jo498]

Saccharine is not the first attribute I'd think of for Reger's orchestral music. It's also very intricate, complex, chromatic. Continuation of Brahms fits here about as well as for the chamber works.

[Wanderer]

Saccharine is not the first attribute I'd think of for Reger's orchestral music.

Me, neither. I'd describe it as utterly dry and sebaceous at the same time. The musical equivalent of a desiccated elephant.

[vers la flamme]

Me, neither. I'd describe it as utterly dry and sebaceous at the same time. The musical equivalent of a desiccated elephant.

Not sure I agree but that's a very vivid image 

[Spotted Horses]

The last orchestral music I listened to by Reger was a violin concerto, which created the impression of saccharine. I seem to recall listening to Hiller Variations, which might be in the the desiccated elephant style.

[BWV 1080]

neither saccharine nor desiccated elephant,  this beast has been sucking down dry gin martinis

[Mandryka]

Yeah the late trio is a great work.

As noted before, I have been listening to Reger's valedictory Clarinet Quintet a lot, I would almost say, this year. And I have come to the conclusion that the Sharon Kam and friends (Isabelle van Keulen, Ulrike-Anime Mathe on violins) recording for Berlin is the one that satisfies me most. It's got the Brahms as coupling. This is a record I can recommend to everyone.
They avoid lacrimosity best, they have clearly thought about the piece a lot and the playing and recording is just stellar.
The Villa Musica sounds too rushed, in concept and execution, the same goes for Sabine Meyer and the Vienna people.
The Vogler Quartet with Karl Leister is very good, but just not as good as Sharon Kam c.s.

I've just discovered the Vogler recording and when I searched for it, this came up. I haven't yet heard the quintet but I think their op 109 quartet is tremendous.

The second movement of op 109, quasi presto - dangerously addictive - really imaginative music.