Reger, Max 1873 - 1916
Author: Itoh, Midori
Last updated：March 14, 2012
Author: Itoh, Midori
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Max Reger was a German composer who lived from the late 19th to the early 20th century. Born in Bavaria, he grew up with a father who was a school teacher and amateur musician, and a mother who was deeply fond of literature. Soon after his birth, he moved to Weiden, where he began playing the piano and string instruments. However, he did not begin formal music education until he was 11 years old. At that time, A. Lindner, who recognized Reger's talent for playing military marches flawlessly from memory, taught him Bach's Inventions, Beethoven, and Romantic piano music, while also entrusting him with duties as a substitute church organist. This laid the foundation for Reger's lifelong affinity for organ music and his later mastery of the instrument.
Decision for a Musical Career and Mentorship
In 1888, at the age of 15, Reger visited the Bayreuth Festival, which left a profound impression on him and solidified his decision to pursue a career in music. However, following his father's footsteps, he enrolled in a teacher training college in Weiden to become a public school teacher. Around this time, Lindner sent some of Reger's early works to Hugo Riemann, who was active in Sondershausen, Thuringia. Reger's parents wished for their son to become a teacher in Bavaria, and thus sought to have him study with Josef Rheinberger, who was active in Munich, rather than in Thuringia, where a Bavarian teaching qualification would not be recognized. However, Rheinberger strongly emphasized the difficulties of living as an artist. With Rheinberger's efforts, Reger ultimately became a student of Riemann.
Wiesbaden and Early Compositions
Soon after, in 1890, Reger moved to Wiesbaden with his teacher Riemann and became his assistant. Riemann reportedly highly valued Reger's exceptionally quick comprehension. It was here that Reger composed his Violin Sonata, designating it as his first work, "Opus 1." During this period, he befriended Eugen d’Albert and Ferruccio Busoni. Concurrently, he also developed a severe drinking habit. This habit later gave rise to the legend of the "drunk composer" and significantly damaged his international reputation.
Military Service and Organ Masterpieces
His smooth compositional activity, primarily focused on chamber and piano music, was interrupted in 1896 when he began military service. However, Reger fell ill physically and mentally during this period of service. Two years later, he returned to his parents in Weiden to recuperate. For the next two to three years, he produced works in various genres, but the emphasis was placed on organ works. By around 1900, most of his major organ compositions were completed. In particular, the seven Chorale Fantasies, all composed during this period, are considered the works that established Reger as a monumental figure in German Romantic organ music.
Munich Period and Family Life
From 1901, he moved to Munich, where he continued composing and performing with friends. The following year, he married Elsa von Bercken. As they had no biological children, they adopted two orphans. This period in Munich was highly prolific, yielding not only large-scale chamber and piano works but also affectionate pieces for children, such as Schlichte Weisen (Simple Melodies), Op. 76, and 5 neue Kinderlieder (5 New Children's Songs), Op. 142.
Leipzig and International Recognition
From 1907, weary of the musical disputes in Munich, Reger began an enthusiastic career as a teacher upon his appointment as Professor of Composition and Music Director at Leipzig University. This brought him international fame, and in 1908, he received an honorary doctorate. Reger continued to receive numerous honors, and his reputation grew both domestically and internationally, simultaneously fueling his creative drive. It was during this time that he undertook concert tours to the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Hungary, Russia, and the United Kingdom, achieving great success as a composer, conductor, and soloist. Notably, he achieved immense success in Russia despite the ongoing war at the time, to the extent that a memorial concert was held just eight days after his death.
Meiningen and Later Years
Amidst such great success, in 1911, he was appointed conductor of the Meiningen Court Orchestra by Duke Georg II of Saxe-Meiningen, who was known as the "Theater Duke" for his love of the arts. He also became a friend of Duke Georg himself. However, in 1913, due to dissatisfaction with court life and declining health, he submitted his resignation. Five days before his departure, Duke Georg passed away, and the court orchestra was disbanded due to the impact of World War I (1914–1918). Reger, sympathizing with the stranded orchestra members, reportedly organized concerts to raise funds to support their livelihoods.
Jena and Final Chapter
Subsequently, from 1915, he settled in Jena, and this new environment had a positive influence on him. He established a style he called the "Free Jena Style" and left behind many representative polyphonic works. Having established a new style and resumed composing large-scale organ works, Reger likely intended to continue his compositional activities vigorously thereafter. However, on May 10, 1916, after stopping in Leipzig on his way back from a concert tour in the Netherlands and spending a night with old friends, he passed away in his hotel from a heart attack and respiratory distress.
Musical Style and Legacy
Reger left behind a vast number of works across many genres during his short life of 43 years and even shorter compositional career of 26 years. It is quite difficult to perceive his prolific music as having a single, unified style. While chamber and piano works, which often display strong Romantic and sometimes avant-garde characteristics, account for a large number of his compositions, his organ works, which established him as a master, are conversely retrospective, strongly Baroque in character, consciously referencing predecessors in North German organ music, such as Bach. Particularly in his organ works, an almost excessive richness of harmonic sonorities, intense dynamics, and virtuosic techniques are prominent, often giving the impression of complex, difficult, and "flashy music." However, as Reger himself stated in a letter to his teacher, "I am an ardent admirer of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms" and "strive to develop their musical style." His music is fundamentally rooted in the traditional flow of German music, incorporating the rich musicality of German Romanticism while developing unique techniques, resulting in a remarkably rich body of work.
It is difficult to clearly define the influence Reger's music had on later generations. However, the fact that his works were subjects of study for composers such as Alban Berg, Paul Hindemith, and Arnold Schoenberg undoubtedly demonstrates his significance to subsequent composers.
Works(69)
Concerto
Piano Solo
pieces (22)
etude (3)
inpromptu (2)
variation (2)
Variations and Fugue on a Theme of J.S.Bach Op.81
Key: h-moll Composed in: 1904 Playing time: 32 min 00 sec
Variationen und Fuge über ein Thema vn Telemann Op.134
Composed in: 1914 Playing time: 32 min 30 sec
character pieces (2)
Reduction/Arrangement (15)
Mariä Wiegenlied, Op. 76 Nr.52 [arrangement for piano solo by the composer]
Playing time: 2 min 30 sec
Transcription of Johannes Brahms' ''Adagio non troppo from 2nd Symphony Op.73-2''
Composed in: 1915 Playing time: 9 min 00 sec
Transcription of Johannes Brahms' ''Andante moderato from 4th Symphony Op.98-2''
Playing time: 10 min 00 sec
Various works (3)
Piano Ensemble
pieces (7)
variation (2)
Variationen und Fuge über ein Thema von Beetoven Op.86
Composed in: 1904 Playing time: 25 min 20 sec
Variationen und Fuge über ein Thema von Mozart Op.132a
Composed in: 1914 Playing time: 25 min 30 sec
Reduction/Arrangement (2)