Max Reger(1873-1916)

Started by Dundonnell, October 27, 2008, 03:55:53 PM

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Quote from: Herman on July 18, 2020, 11:01:02 AM
Yeah, I think it's fun the way Andre and I are both (apparently) 'Reger fanboys' with not a whole lot of overlap.

I'm listening to the BRSO Hiller Variations now, btw, which yet another example of Reger swinging between the sacred and profane.

Yes and it's certainly nice to have some Reger fans here, because if I have any questions, I know who to ask. :)

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#181
By the way, guys, what do you make of this (taken from Wikipedia):

Max Reger: The Last Giant, a documentary film about the life and works of Max Reger, was released on 6 DVDs around December 2016 to mark the 100th anniversary of Reger's death. It is produced by Fugue State Films and includes excerpts from Reger's most important works for orchestra, piano, chamber ensemble and organ, with performances by Frauke May, Bernhard Haas, Bernhard Buttmann and the Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt.

Has anyone seen this documentary?

Here's the introduction to the series:

https://www.youtube.com/v/KGv80K1-bbc

A link to the 6-DVD set on Reger:

[asin]B06XXMCRW6[/asin]

This looks like a must-buy, Andre and Herman!

André

It certainly looks like a giant serving of Reger ! Not sure I'd treat myself to 5 DVDs of organ music, though. I do have an integral set - wonderfully arranged for maximum variety and sustained interest on each disc. And the same goes for Becker's integral set of piano music. Reger does need that kind of dedicated advocacy. He was not a 'theme and melodies' type of composer - an anti Tchaikovsky in that regard. With architectonic design in mind first, and musical phrases second, his music can appear austere and unwieldy. But patience and an inquisitive mind reveal great beauties.

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#183
Quote from: André on July 18, 2020, 01:06:19 PM
It certainly looks like a giant serving of Reger ! Not sure I'd treat myself to 5 DVDs of organ music, though. I do have an integral set - wonderfully arranged for maximum variety and sustained interest on each disc. And the same goes for Becker's integral set of piano music. Reger does need that kind of dedicated advocacy. He was not a 'theme and melodies' type of composer - an anti Tchaikovsky in that regard. With architectonic design in mind first, and musical phrases second, his music can appear austere and unwieldy. But patience and an inquisitive mind reveal great beauties.

It's actually 6 DVDs. I don't think it's 5 DVDs of organ music, Andre. There are a multitude of works from the genres that Reger wrote in spread throughout. Also, there are three documentaries on the composer in this set. I'm thinking about springing for it myself as I want to learn more about the composer.

Here is the back of the DVD set:

[Right click to enlarge]


From Presto Classical's site:

This beautifully presented box-set consists of an in-depth documentary spanning three discs: a 210-minute film entitled Max Reger: The Last Giant, which covers the whole of Reger's life and art. The story ranges from his extensive organ works and his use of complex counterpoint; his unconventional life and his problems with anxiety and alcohol; all the way to the triumphantly boundary-pushing works in which he expressed his own, singular relationship with the tensions between tonality and chromaticism that defined the period.

This unprecedented journey through the work of one of the early 20th century's great artists also includes twelve hours of performances of Reger's best music by an exceptional line-up of musicians. These specially filmed performances cover all or part of more than 50 of the composer's 146 opus numbers. They have all been all specially commissioned and performed for the Maximum Reger project, and are available only with this box-set.

These recordings include performances by two German symphony orchestras, as well as some of Reger's most significant instrumental and chamber works, plus a major survey of his substantial and varied organ music, recorded on five magnificent organs in Bremen, Chemnitz, Ludwigsburg, Ulm and Weiden.

As a Fugue State Films production, Maximum Reger boasts handsome production values with first-rate video and audio recording, and stars a host of world-class musicians and Reger scholars, who together paint a rich and vivid portrait of a true giant of classical music. It was filmed on location in many parts of Germany, and was created with full access to the Max Reger Institute's massive archive of manuscripts, artworks and photographs.

This set of films compellingly places the composer in the context of the social and artistic maelstrom of the early 20th century, showing that in a musical world bequeathed by Bach, Brahms and Wagner – and about to be dominated by Schoenberg, Webern and Berg – Reger's voice is one we should cherish. Maximum Reger demonstrates that Reger's more experimental and chromatic music often rivalled – and sometimes even surpassed – the efforts of acknowledged giants of the period such as Schoenberg. This collection shows that Reger pushed with equal wildness against the limits of tonality, but did so while retaining an elegiac lyricism that, unlike his contemporaries, he never abandoned. This is what makes Reger both unique and relevant today. His singular voice is one whose lyricism coexists with its avant-garde experimentalism; whose sometimes immensely complex compositions and technical advances coexist with an appealing attitude towards the virtue of a beautiful melody on its own terms.

Reger has sometimes been overlooked by musical histories but, as this collection amply proves, his work boasts a unique richness of expression that deserves a central place in our musical appreciation. Reger's humour and vividness, his richness and variety of expression, and his own unique response to the questions surrounding tonality at that time, all mark him out as thoroughly deserving of the description given to him by Hindemith – 'the last musical giant'.

Musical Highlights include:

• Awe-inspiring performances of Reger's most colossal organ works.

• An acknowledgement that Reger's greatest work was in the field of chamber music, with sensational performances of his quartet Op.54ii and sextet Op.118.

• The first ever recording of a new orchestration of Reger's signature work, the Bach Variations, Op.81.

• An exploration of his vast treasure trove of works for violin, including performances by Sayaka Shoji of Op.87 and 117.

• A rendition of his orchestral song An Die Hoffnung, Op.124, a work as haunting and beautiful as anything by Mahler or Strauss.

• Exquisite performances of unknown masterpieces for piano, violin, viola and cello, plus the very best of his lieder.

Artists

Aris Quartett, Graham Barber (organ), Markus Becker (piano), Julius Berger (cello), Andrew Brownell (piano), Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester, Ira Levin (conductor) Bernhard Buttmann (organ), Diogenes Quartett, Roland Glassl (viola) Bernhard Haas (organ) Hyperion Trio, Oliver Kern (piano) Frauke May (mezzo), Rudolf Meister (piano), Julien Quentin (piano), Bernhard Renzikowski (piano), Evgenia Rubinova (piano), Sayaka Shoji (violin), Hagen Schwarzrock (piano), Egidius Streiff (violin), Alessandro Tardino (piano), Katharina Troe (cello), Katharina Wildermuth (violin), WDR Funkhausorchester, Wayne Marshall (conductor)

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: Herman on July 18, 2020, 12:54:21 AM
Nor do I have a lot of succes with the solo violin sonatas as recorded by the wonderful Ulrike-Anima Mathé. It's just so many notes.

That's what I felt with many of the violin sonatas (with piano). A mere succession of notes with nothing memorable, so are the Clarinet Sonatas IMO. I do have Reger in high esteem, but I also think he suffered from being too intellectual with what he wanted to express in music (sometimes, not always).
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Symphonic Addict

My favorite Reger is represented on these works:

String Quartets, String Sextet, Clarinet Quintet, Piano Trios, Piano Quartets, Piano Quintets, Serenades for Flute, Violin and Viola, Cello Suites, piano variations, orchestral music (except the Serenade in G major and possibly the Sinfonietta), Psalm 100, Die Nonnen and some organ music. I don't have strong memories of the concertos.

To my ears those works have more identity and interesting material.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

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#186
Quote from: Symphonic Addict on July 18, 2020, 02:37:35 PM
That's what I felt with many of the violin sonatas (with piano). A mere succession of notes with nothing memorable, so are the Clarinet Sonatas IMO. I do have Reger in high esteem, but I also think he suffered from being too intellectual with what he wanted to express in music (sometimes, not always).

I can't believe I'm coming to Reger's defense after being rather dismissive of him in the past, but I don't really agree with the criticism of 'intellectual'. From the intellect can come beauty and has in many instances from the Renaissance up until our present era. Schoenberg was often accused of writing intellectual music, but, for me, his music burns with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. I think Reger is a slow burn and it's just going to take time for me to fully assimilate his style, what I believe his music expresses and just the general feeling behind everything. He's a different kind of animal that I'm going to enjoy picking apart and getting to know.

André



Thanks for this, John. Certainly a most interesting issue, I agree.

I read '5 DVDs' of organ music, but it's 5 hours, my mistake. A total of 15 hours of music, to be enjoyed over many evenings !

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Quote from: André on July 18, 2020, 02:53:59 PM


Thanks for this, John. Certainly a most interesting issue, I agree.

I read '5 DVDs' of organ music, but it's 5 hours, my mistake. A total of 15 hours of music, to be enjoyed over many evenings !

Yes, I'm probably going to be placing an order for it in due time. 8)

kyjo

Two of Reger's most beautiful and accessible works (IMO) are his substantial orchestral songs An die Hoffnung and Der Einsiedler, recorded by none other than Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau on this superb Orfeo disc:

[asin]B000028B02[/asin]

https://youtu.be/tDexPdrnrkw
https://youtu.be/WqsHGcB_B5s
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Mahlerian

Quote from: Mirror Image on July 18, 2020, 02:51:06 PM
I can't believe I'm coming to Reger's defense after being rather dismissive of him in the past, but I don't really agree with the criticism of 'intellectual'. From the intellect can come beauty and has in many instances from the Renaissance up until our present era. Schoenberg was often accused of writing intellectual music, but, for me, his music burns with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. I think Reger is a slow burn and it's just going to take time for me to fully assimilate his style, what I believe his music expresses and just the general feeling behind everything. He's a different kind of animal that I'm going to enjoy picking apart and getting to know.

I think Reger also has a sardonic wit to his music that presages Prokofiev at times. There's a surprising amount of humor in his music despite his reputation for stodginess. I don't think he's as passionate as Schoenberg, but there is a good deal of emotional inner life to his music.
"l do not consider my music as atonal, but rather as non-tonal. I feel the unity of all keys. Atonal music by modern composers admits of no key at all, no feeling of any definite center." - Arnold Schoenberg

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Quote from: Mahlerian on July 18, 2020, 03:06:35 PM
I think Reger also has a sardonic wit to his music that presages Prokofiev at times. There's a surprising amount of humor in his music despite his reputation for stodginess. I don't think he's as passionate as Schoenberg, but there is a good deal of emotional inner life to his music.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I have yet to fully embrace his music.

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Quote from: kyjo on July 18, 2020, 03:01:57 PM
Two of Reger's most beautiful and accessible works (IMO) are his substantial orchestral songs An die Hoffnung and Der Einsiedler, recorded by none other than Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau on this superb Orfeo disc:

[asin]B000028B02[/asin]

https://youtu.be/tDexPdrnrkw
https://youtu.be/WqsHGcB_B5s

From what I've heard of that recording, yes, I'd agree. Beautiful works.

André

Absolutely. This disc is one of the cornerstones of a Reger collection.

Symphonic Addict

#194
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 18, 2020, 02:51:06 PM
I can't believe I'm coming to Reger's defense after being rather dismissive of him in the past, but I don't really agree with the criticism of 'intellectual'. From the intellect can come beauty and has in many instances from the Renaissance up until our present era. Schoenberg was often accused of writing intellectual music, but, for me, his music burns with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. I think Reger is a slow burn and it's just going to take time for me to fully assimilate his style, what I believe his music expresses and just the general feeling behind everything. He's a different kind of animal that I'm going to enjoy picking apart and getting to know.

Each of us hears something different from every composer, so it's perfectly valid your position. But to my ears, Reger did stamp certain cerebral/intellectual attribute in many of his works, rather similar as his idol Bach did, hence I don't like Bach that much as the vast majority do.

And regarding Schoenberg... well, better I don't comment anything about it.  :)
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

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Quote from: Symphonic Addict on July 18, 2020, 05:30:17 PM
Each of us hears something different from every composer, so it's perfectly valid your position. But to my ears, Reger does stamp certain cerebral/intellectual attribute in many of his works, rather similar as his idol Bach did, hence I don't like Bach that much as the vast majority do.

And regarding Schoenberg... well, better I don't comment anything about it.  :)

I'm not a Bach fan either, but to be even more honest, I'm more attracted to the Russian/Soviet composers than German/Austrian ones. Good idea about Schoenberg as Mahlerian will launch into another tirade. :P

Herman

I recall watching the intro to the Maximum Reger 6-dvd and thinking "not really for me".

Yeah, I would like to read a good, not too long biography of Reger's, although, obviously, a man who wrote so much music, and in addition gave a 100 + concerts per year was mostly busy with the above.

Somehow even the title's 'maximum' gives me the feeling these people (obviously the Max-Reger-Institute is an important force here) aren't doing what I think should be done.

Make a selection first. Pick the best works from the different genres, put them in context and present the music in the most attractive way. You can do this on 2 dvds. Six is just crazy.

In terms of biography, it would be interesting to know where Reger came from, where his drive came from, what was his musical context and how did it happen that he did not sound one bit like Bach and Brahms (there were plenty of lesser composers who did just that) and, indeed, the story of his marriage. Clearly he desperately wanted Elsa, but why was she unable to keep him from drinking / eating himself to death?

vers la flamme

Quote from: kyjo on July 18, 2020, 03:01:57 PM
Two of Reger's most beautiful and accessible works (IMO) are his substantial orchestral songs An die Hoffnung and Der Einsiedler, recorded by none other than Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau on this superb Orfeo disc:

[asin]B000028B02[/asin]

https://youtu.be/tDexPdrnrkw
https://youtu.be/WqsHGcB_B5s

For those interested, this is currently half price on Qobuz, along with many other Orfeo selections:

https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/reger-orchestral-songs-dietrich-fischer-dieskau/4011790209128

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#198
Quote from: Herman on July 19, 2020, 12:11:19 AM
I recall watching the intro to the Maximum Reger 6-dvd and thinking "not really for me".

Yeah, I would like to read a good, not too long biography of Reger's, although, obviously, a man who wrote so much music, and in addition gave a 100 + concerts per year was mostly busy with the above.

Somehow even the title's 'maximum' gives me the feeling these people (obviously the Max-Reger-Institute is an important force here) aren't doing what I think should be done.

Make a selection first. Pick the best works from the different genres, put them in context and present the music in the most attractive way. You can do this on 2 dvds. Six is just crazy.

In terms of biography, it would be interesting to know where Reger came from, where his drive came from, what was his musical context and how did it happen that he did not sound one bit like Bach and Brahms (there were plenty of lesser composers who did just that) and, indeed, the story of his marriage. Clearly he desperately wanted Elsa, but why was she unable to keep him from drinking / eating himself to death?

Yes, you're probably right. It would be too much to plow through, especially if all you want is some biographical information on the composer. I'm much less interested in musical analysis or why the commentators feel a composer to be underrated. I read comments about this or that composer or work being undervalued every day on GMG and other musical forums, why would I pay money to watch it? Anyway, I'm glad I backed out of buying the DVD set. It would most definitely have been a waste of money for me.

Herman

much better idea to get a couple of recordings and enjoy the music as music.