Completist collectors
have their expensive desires met at
budget cost by such series as the Naxos
‘Organ Encyclopedia’.
The Reger collection
has generally been well received so
far, and those who have already collected
the first five volumes will want number
6 as a matter of course, especially
as volume 4 was recorded on the same
instrument.
The 1974 Johannes Klais
Organ looks a little like a rocket taking
off on the cover of the booklet; in
full flow it sounds a little like one
as well. With a reverb of something
like 13 or more seconds in Trier Cathedral
the sonic build-up is quite spectacular
at times, and anyone wanting to show
how they can get even their Ted Moult
double-glazing to rattle with their
new panel-hybrid loudspeakers will find
this to be quite a demonstration disc.
The engineers have done a good job finding
a balance however, and, while absolute
clarity is virtually impossible in such
a space, the quieter moments prove there
to be a great deal of subtle colour
and variety in the instrument.
All of these works
are representative of the mature Reger,
and the Chorale Fantasia has
all the typically romantic dense chromatic
figuration one might expect: heaving,
turgid, full-on cathedral organ with
wild dynamic contrasts down to ‘ppp’
variations on the chorale theme. The
Six Trios are very much the soft
centre to the programme on this CD.
Gently contrasting, a slowly unfolding
opening Canon is followed by
a tripping Gigue, which is further
framed by an elegantly melodic Canzonetta.
A lively Scherzo is followed
by a rustic, flowing Siciliano,
and the set is concluded with a Fugue
finale. Without the any of the intention
or ambitions of such works, I nonetheless
can’t help thinking of this collection
as a kind of Organ Symphony in miniature.
The ‘organ sandwich’
is concluded with a nearly 40-minute
doorstop - the mighty Introduction,
Variations and Fugue, which was
written in 1903 and dedicated to Reger’s
friend Karl Straube, a noted performer
of Reger’s music, and the player for
whom many of Reger’s works seem designed
to stretch. The Johannes Klais organ
proves itself once again ideally suited
to this repertoire, with Martin Welzel
ably demonstrating the huge dynamic
range and expressive potential of this
instrument. Using Reger’s musical exploration
as a medium for such an exercise I have
been pleasantly surprised by the variety
of the music on this disc. I admit to
being more of a French organ listener
and less of a fan of the sequential,
chromatic build-ups which Reger often
employs, but this recording will sit
well next to my Widors, Francks and
Viernes, and is unreservedly recommended.
Dominy Clements
Marin Welzel (organ) 
