MAX REGER ORCHESTRAL EDITION VARIATIONS | SUITES | ROMANCES MAX REGER 1873-1916 VARIATIONS | SUITES | ROMANCES MAX REGER 2 A Symphonic Prologue for a Tragedy op. 108 33:45 A Romantic Suite after Poems by Joseph von Eichendorff op. 125 Symphonischer Prolog zu einer Tragödie Eine romantische Suite nach Gedichten von Joseph von Eichendorff Grave – Allegro agitato D 1. Notturno. Molto sostenuto 8:33 E 2. Scherzo. Vivace 8:26 B Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in G major op. 50/1 9:37 F 3. Finale. Molto sostenuto 10:12 G-Dur op. 128 Andante sostenuto (ma un poco con moto) Four Symphonic Poems after Arnold Böcklin Vier Tondichtungen nach Arnold Böcklin C Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in D major op. 50/2 10:18 G 1. Der geigende Eremit. Molto sostenuto (doch nie schleppend) 10:22 D-Dur The hermit playing the violin H Larghetto 2. Im Spiel der Wellen. Vivace 4:28 The play of waves I Hans Maile violin 3. Die Toteninsel. Molto sostenuto (doch nie schleppend) 9:14 The isle of the dead Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin J 4. Bacchanal. Vivace 4:52 Gerd Albrecht A | Uroš Lajovic B, C Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin A co-production with RIAS Berlin (licensed by Deutschlandradio) Gerd Albrecht Recordings: Berlin, Jesus-Christus-Kirche, 10/1980 [1] & 7/1982 [2, 3] Recording Engineers: Wolfgang Buch [1]; Walter Schales [2, 3] Assistant Recording Engineer: Geert Puhlmann A co-production with RIAS Berlin (licensed by Deutschlandradio) ൿ 1981 [1]/1982 [2, 3] Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin Recordings: Berlin, Jesus-Christus-Kirche, 7 & 9/1984 [4–6]; 4/1986 [7–10] Recording Engineers: Walter Schales [4–6]; Helge Jörns Assistant Recording Engineer: Geert Puhlmann ൿ 1986 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin 3 Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Johann Adam Hiller op. 100 Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart op. 132 K Theme. Andante grazioso 0:30 e Theme. Andante grazioso 2:34 L Variation 1. Più andante 1:14 f Variation 1. L’istesso tempo 2:19 M Variation 2. Allegretto con grazia 3:56 g Variation 2. Poco agitato 2:19 N Variation 3. Vivace 2:43 h Variation 3. Con moto 1:27 O Variation 4. Poco vivace 2:20 i Variation 4. Vivace 0:45 P Variation 5. Andante sostenuto 4:23 j Variation 5. Quasi presto 1:43 Q Variation 6. Tempo di minuetto 3:01 k Variation 6. Sostenuto 2:21 R Variation 7. Presto 3:33 l Variation 7. Andante grazioso 2:36 S Variation 8. Andante con moto 3:22 m Variation 8. Molto sostenuto 8:00 T Variation 9. Allegro con spirito 1:56 n Fugue. Allegretto grazioso 9:28 U Variation 10. Allegro appassionato 2:22 V Variation 11. Andante con moto 6:24 Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Ludwig van Beethoven op. 86 W Fugue. Allegro moderato 7:39 Version for orchestra (1915) o Theme. Andante 1:36 Ballet Suite op. 130 p Variation 1. Un poco più lento 2:10 X 1. Entrée. Tempo di marcia 3:24 q Y Variation 2. Appassionato 1:22 2. Colombine. Adagietto [molto tranquillo] 3:50 r Variation 3. Andantino grazioso 2:23 a 3. Harlequin. Vivace 2:50 s b Variation 4. Vivace 0:47 4. Pierrot et Pierrette. Larghetto 3:35 t Variation 5. Andante sostenuto 3:04 c 5. Valse d’amour. Sostenuto – Tempo di valse 2:51 u d Variation 6. Allegretto con grazia 1:28 6. Finale. Presto 2:40 v Variation 7. Poco vivace 1:42 w Variation 8. Allegro pomposo 2:24 Bamberger Symphoniker x Fugue. Con spirito (non troppo allegro) 6:00 Horst Stein Bamberger Symphoniker | Horst Stein Recordings: Bamberg, Dominikanerbau, 5/1990 [11–23], 1 & 2/1991 [24–29] Recording: Bamberg, Dominikanerbau, 2 & 11/1991 Recording Producer: Michael Kempff | Recording Engineers: Herbert Frühbauer [11–23, 26–27]; Recording Producer: Michael Kempff | Recording Engineers: Herbert Frühbauer; Peter Zelnhöfer [46–48] ൿ Peter Zelnhöfer [24–25, 28–29] | 1991 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin ൿ 1992 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin 4 Suite in the Olden Style in F major op. 93 Suite im alten Stil F-Dur HORST STEIN Version for orchestra (1916) y 1. Präludium. Allegro commodo (non troppo vivace) 5:59 z 2. Largo 9:07 Ä 3. Fuge. Allegro con spirito (ma non troppo vivace) 8:22 Serenade in G major op. 95 G-Dur Å 1. Allegro moderato 13:56 Ç 2. Vivace a Burlesca 3:16 É 3. Andante semplice (sostenuto) (nie schleppend) 10:33 Ñ 4. Allegro con spirito (non troppo vivace) 14:34 Bamberger Symphoniker Horst Stein Recordings: Bamberg, Dominikanerbau, 7/1993 [50–52]; Bamberg, Konzerthalle, Joseph-Keilberth-Saal, 12/1993 [53–56] Recording Producer: Michael Kempff Recording Engineer: Peter Zelnhöfer ൿ 1995 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin HORST STEIN 9 5 derful melodies and its colourful shifts of harmony risk pendant, Die Nonnen op. 112, is based on a mystically Max Reger’s Orchestral Works disorientating the listener. Schoenberg admired its transfigured contemporary poem and contrasts two prose-like melodies and a “familiarity with note-rela- very different worlds: the sensuously disorientating tionships that recalls Bach”, yet few violinists chose to world in which the action of the poem is set, and the Max Reger’s orchestral output defies any easy categor- notion of vagueness and ambiguity, while his Sinfo- champion a piece which according to Reger “fundamen- singing of the nuns, which Reger described as “chaste” ization. Poised, as he was, on the cusp of modernism, nietta op. 90 finds him distancing himself from the sym- tally avoids all hankering after empty effects”. His Piano and which strikes an altogether archaic note. No less he paid no heed to stylistic or generic boundaries but phonic poems of his Munich colleagues and adopting the Concerto op. 114 of 1910, which the composer regard- ambivalent are the last two works that Reger wrote in created a distinctive musical language made up of mod- four-movement design of a symphony, in which chamber ed as “a kind of Brahms D minor Concerto translated Leipzig. Die Weihe der Nacht op. 119 was written at a els and counter-models. textures are writ large. Reproached for the density of his into the language of modernism”, is likewise not a vir- time of deep depression for him. At its first performance From the remote enclave of Weiden in the Upper instrumentation, Reger reacted with an orchestral Ser- tuoso work, for all that it is difficult to play. Its motivic he vowed to begin a new life without alcohol – he had Palatinate, Reger achieved his breakthrough with a enade op. 95 in which the textures have been noticeably writing extends, in Reger’s words, “to its tiniest ramifi- just been appointed court Kapellmeister in Meiningen. series of bold organ works notable for their polyphonic thinned out. Here, he insisted, he had written in a way cations”. It dates from the same year as Schoenberg’s His Comedy Overture op. 120 is a tour de force of bril- thinking and uncompromising expressivity. Conversely, that was intelligible to “every fine specimen from Noah’s first atonal composition and yet, as Reger insisted, it liant volatility that draws on all the topoi of humour in he wrote only three orchestral works during this period: Ark”, while the complex textures that were typical of his marked the start of a journey “that will lead to a goal music and attests to the composer’s delight at the two Violin Romances op. 50, whose amiable character style were “served up in a spirit of gallantry”. sooner than all the new ways”. Two years earlier Reger thought of being placed in charge of his own orchestra. may be explained by reference to their dedications to By 1907 Reger was professor of composition in had written a Symphonic Prologue op. 108 that was With their modern discontinuity the orchestral works his publisher and his doctor, and a Scherzino WoO I/6, Leipzig. With his Hiller Variations op. 100 he returned to inspired by no specific tragedy but which depicts an that Reger wrote in Meiningen make it abundantly clear which according to its autograph score was composed a medium he had already explored with his piano varia- inner drama that oscillates between despair, rebellion just how freely their composer could handle a whole for an amateur orchestra and which reveals its com- tions on themes by Bach and Beethoven. The theme is and submission. It builds to a dramatically, tense climax range of different musical styles. The result was a series poser’s sense of humour by placing a number of obs- broken down into blocks and serves as the starting that is at odds with its structure as a symphonic move- of individual works whose art of instrumentation reveals tacles in the horn player’s path in the form of its rapid point for a series of pointed character-pieces that follow ment, with the result that Reger later advised perform- the extent to which Reger was able to profit from his tempo and dense chromatic writing. an improvisatory impulse rather than any purposeful ers to cut the recapitulation: “Mont Blanc should come daily contact with a small but outstanding orchestra. His Not until he moved to Munich did Reger apply himself development. The symmetry of the theme inspired the only once.” His setting of Psalm 100 op. 106 was written Concerto in the Olden Style op. 123 harks back to the to larger works, all of which reflect the ideal that he had composer to write a piece that is full of surprises and in 1908/09 to thank the University of Jena for awarding world of the Baroque concerto grosso, while at the same developed in his chamber music, in which all the voices that he himself described as “fundamentally jolly”.