It is often difficult
to contextualize the works of certain
composers wholly in terms of their own
time and location. Each man is inevitably
compared to his forebears, whether for
good or ill, and categorized through
perceived commonality, regardless of
the validity of such claims. For instance,
Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms are almost
always linked not merely due to their
greatness, but also because of their
common motherland and the alphabetic
proximity of their surnames. Thus Max
Reger cannot avoid being compared to
J.S. Bach due to the shared German heritage,
large bodies of religious work based
on Lutheran melodies, and their definitive
work for the organ. However, in truth
it would be hard to name a greater German
composer of organ music post-Bach than
Reger. This latest release by Naxos
goes far in making just such a case.
Reger’s organ music
tends to be highly dramatic and expressive,
taking full advantage of the bright
bombast and deep thunder so common in
traditional organ music, while alternately
exploring the under-utilized intimacy
that a well made organ can produce.
As he was a Catholic by faith, he wrote
much for the mass, including many of
the tracks on this CD. He also borrowed
liberally from the melodies of his Lutheran
brethren, as displayed in the opening
and closing tracks also contained here.
The selections are
well chosen, and are from the heart
of Reger’s musical career. Written between
1899 and 1902, and characteristically
emotive to the point of emotional exhaustion,
they are perfectly indicative of what
makes Reger so great. These pieces are
both incredibly texturally dense while
still completely tonal and approachable.
From a compositional standpoint, they
are virtuosic explorations of the symphonic
colors of the organ and testaments to
his belief in absolute music, contrasting
the program music of his contemporaries
Wagner and Liszt. He tells no stories,
paints no literal pictures, but pulls
emotions directly out of his listeners,
assuming that the musician is capable
of playing the works as Reger intended.
Josef Still, the organist
bringing Reger’s music to life, does
an outstanding job of interpreting these
virtuosic works without apparent difficulty.
Indeed, the music seems to channel itself
through him, flowing out with grace
and subtlety when appropriate, and with
intensity and exuberance when allowed.
The instrument itself is a magnificent
four-manual Klais organ installed in
1974 and housed in the oldest church
north of the Alps, with portions dating
to the 4th century AD. The
recording does much to showcase the
versatility of this instrument and the
virtuosity of Mr. Still.
If you are not familiar
with the organ works of Max Reger, this
recording would make an excellent introduction.
They are not overly-intellectual or
difficult to approach; they are made
to sound easy even when they are at
their most challenging. Indeed, Reger’s
brilliance is beautifully showcased
throughout each selection in a setting
that is incredibly appropriate to the
music, both in terms of geography and
the characteristic timbre he would have
desired. I heartily recommend this recording
to any collector.
Patrick Gary
Josef Still (organ)