Max Reger (1873-1916)

The German master Max Reger died at the age of only 43, but he wrote a vast quantity of music - often in large forms, and with opus numbers that encompassed groups of works, not just single compositions. His musical mind was that of a genius: being able to write music in almost any circumstances, and music that was often of great contrapuntal complexity.

He was a composer at variance with the Romantic movements; his output, like Brahms's, was exclusively for the concert hall, the recital room, and - more importantly, in Reger's case - the church, for he was a magnificent organist who wrote a large amount of music for the instrument. In this regard, his spiritual predecessor was Johann Sebastian Bach, whose music Reger revered above all other.

At Max Reger's sudden death - about which there has always been some speculation - he left well over 200 works catalogued, with a large number of uncatalogued original compositions and 'arrangements'.

Max Reger on Guild Music

• GMCD 7192  Max Reger Organ Masterworks
• GMCD 7191 Romanze  Romance for Violin and Organ
• GMCD 7165 Siegesfeier Op145 no.7
• GMCD 7123 Aria - O Mensch bewein dein' Sünde gross & Chants

Page revised 09.09.2000