Max Reger (Composer) - Short Biography

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Max Reger (Composer)
Born: March 19, 1873 - Brand, Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany Died: May 11, 1916 - Leipzig, Germany
The celebrated German composer Reger (Johann Baptist Joseph) Max(imilian) Reger, was the son of a school-teacher and amateur musician, who gave him instruction on the piano organ, and various string instruments. In 1874 the family moved to Weiden, where he studied organ and theory with Adalbert Lindner. He then attended the teacher-training college; after visiting the Bayreuth Festival in 1888, he decided on a career in music. He went to Sondershausen to study with Riemann in 1890, and continued as his pupil in Wiesbaden (1890-1893). From 1890 to 1896, Max Reger was active as a teacher of piano, organ, and theory. Following military service, he returned to Weiden in 1898 and wrote a number of his finest works for organ. He went to Munich in 1901, first gaining general recognition as a pianist and later as a composer; was professor of counterpoint at the Königliche Akademie der Tonkünst (1905-1906). Prominent compositions from this period included the Piano Quintet, op. 64 (1901-1902), the Violin Sonata, op. 72 (1903), the String Quartet op. 74 (1903-1904), the Variationen und Fuge über ein Thema von J.S. Bach for Piano, op. 81 (1904), and the Sinfonietta, op. 90 (1904-1905). He went to Leipzig as music director of the University (1907-1908) and as professor of composition at the Conservatory (from 1907). Max Reger's fame as a composer was enhanced by his successful tours as a soloist and conductor in Germany and throughout Europe. While he continued to produce major chamber works and organ pieces, he also wrote such important orchestral compositions as the Variationen und Fuge über ein lustiges Thema von J.A. Hiller, op. 100 (1907), the Violin Concerto, op. 101 (1907-1908), the Sympbonischer Prolog zu einer Tragödie, op. 108 (1908), the Piano Concerto, op. 114 (1910), and the Variationen und Fuge über ein Thema von Mozart, op. 132 (1914). As a result, having been awarded an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Jena in 1908, he composed his most distinguished sacred work, the Psalm C, op. 106 (1908-1909). He was called to Meiningen as conductor of the Court Orchestra in 1911, assuming the title Hofkapellmeister. He was also Generalmusikdirektor (1913-1914). He settled in Jena in 1915. Max Reger was an extraordinarily gifted musician, widely respected as a composer, pianist, organist, conductor and teacher. A master of polyphonic and harmonic writing, he carried on the hallowed Classical and Romantic schools of composition. Although he wrote major works in nearly every genre, his music has not found a place of permanence in the repertoire.

Source: Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20^th Century Classical Musicians (1997) Contributed by Aryeh Oron (December 2005)
Bach-Reger: Max Reger \| Works \| Recordings
Use of Chorale Melodies in his works
Title		Chorale Melody	Year
Chorale Fantasia for Organ Alle Menschen müssen sterben Op.52		Alle Menschen müssen sterben	1900
Allein Gott in der Höh' sei Her, Chorale Prelude for organ, Op. 67/1		Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr	1902
Allein Gott in der Höh' sei Her, Chorale Prelude for organ, Op. 135a/2		Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr	1914
Christus der ist mein Leben, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 79b/9		Christus, der ist mein Leben	1901-1903
Christus der ist mein Leben, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/5		Christus, der ist mein Leben	1902
Dir, dir, Jehova will ich singen, Chorale Prelude for organ Op. 67/7		Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen	1902
1^st Suite for Organ op. 16		Es ist das Heil uns kommen her	1894-1895
Chorale for Organ Es ist das Heil uns kommen her / Sei Lob und Ehr’ dem höchsten Gut, Op. 67/10		Es ist das Heil uns kommen her	1902
Chorale for Organ Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, Op. 135a/7 from 30 kleine Choral Vorspiele		Es ist das Heil uns kommen her	1914
Phantasie über den Choral Freu' dich sehr, o meine Seele, Op. 30		Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele	1898
Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/11		Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele	1902
Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 135a/9		Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele	1914
O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/32		Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht	1902
Jesu meine Freude, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/21		Jesu, meine Freude	1902
O Jesulein süß, folk song for chorus (7 Sacred Folk Songs, No. 6)		Komm, heilger Geist, mit deiner Genad	1699
Komm susser Tod, Chorale Prelude for organ		Komm süßer Tod
Lasset uns den Herren preisen, Easter motet for 5 voices		Lasset uns den Herren preisen
Machs mit mir, Gott, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/27		Machs mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt	1902
Meinem Jesum laß ich nicht, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/26		Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht	1902
Setting of Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht for Soprano, Mixed Choir, Violin, Viola., and Organ		Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht	1905/1906
Meinem Jesum laß ich nicht, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 135a/17		Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht	1914
Mit Fried und Freud fahr ich dahin, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 79b/5		Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin	1901-1903
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, Chorale Prelude for Organ Op. 67/29		Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland	1902
O Gott, du frommer Gott, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/31		O Gott, du frommer Gott	1902
O Gott, du frommer Gott, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 135a/20		O Gott, du frommer Gott	1914
O wie selig seid ihr doch, Chorale Prelude for organ, Op. 67/35		O wie selig seid ihr doch, ihr Frommen	1902
O wie selig seid ihr doch, ihr Frommen, cantata for soprano, chorus, strings & organ		O wie selig seid ihr doch, ihr Frommen	1904
Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/36		Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele	1902
Seelenbräutigam, Chorale Prelude for organ, Op. 67/37		Seelenbräutigam	1902
Straf' mich nicht in deinem Zorn, Chorale Fantasia for organ, Op. 40/2		Straf mich nicht in deinem Zorn	1899
Valet will ich dir geben, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 135a/23		Valet will ich dir geben	1914
Vater unser im Himmelreich, Chorale Prelude for organ, Op. 67/41		Vater unser im Himmelreich	1902
Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/46		Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan	1902
Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 135a/26		Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan	1914
Werde munter, mein Gemüte, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/49		Werde munter, mein Gemüthe	1902
Wie wohl ist mir, o Freund der Seelen, Chorale Prelude for organ, Op. 67/52		Wie wohl ist mir	1902
Arrangements of J.S. Bach's Works
Title		J.S. Bach's Work	Year
Aria O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß (Mvt. 29) from Matthäus Passion BWV 244		Matthäus Passion BWV 244
Goldberg Variations BWV 988, arrangement for two pianos by Josef Rheinberger, revised by Max Reger		Goldberg Variations BWV 988
Links to other Sites
Max Reger Pages (1873-1916) (Official Website) Max Reger (Classical Music Pages) Max Reger (Classical Net) Organ Composers: Max Reger The Max Reger Mp3 Page on Classic Cat Max Reger (Fugue Masters) Max Reger (1873 - 1916) (Karadar) [German] Max Reger (Carol Traxler) Max Reger (1873-1916) (Naxos)	Max-Reger-Institut / Elsa-Reger-Stiftung [German] Max Reger (Guild Music) Reger Max English (Maurice Abravanel) REGER, Max (BBKL) [German] Max Reger (Wikipedia) Max Reger (Answers.com) Max Reger biography (8notes) Classical Music Archives: Biography of Max Reger allmusic: Max Reger > Overview
Bibliography

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Last update: ýMarch 26, 2008 ý00:13:33