Reger Remembered #1619
…in commemoration of the centenary of the death of Bach's greatest admirer, Johann Baptist Joseph Maximillian Reger (1873-1916).
Hour 1
REGER: Toccata & Fugue in d, fr Op. 129 –Michael Pohl (1905 Sauer/Berlin Cathedral, Germany) Motette 11781
REGER: Chorale-prelude, Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich, Op.67. no. 23 –Max Reger (1914 Welte/Mechanical Organ Museum, Seewen, Switzerland) Oehms 847
REGER: 3 Pieces, fr Opus 80 (No. 4, Gigue; No. 8, Romanze; No. 7, Scherzo) –Isabelle Demers (2009 Murphy/St. Patrick’s Church, New Orleans, LA) Pro Organo 7259
REGER: Trios, fr Opus 47 (No. 2, Gigue; No. 5, Siciliano; No. 6, Fugue) –Jean-Baptiste Dupont (1904 Walcker/St. Georg, Ulm, Germany) Hortus 086/087
REGER: Fantasy on Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, Op. 40, no. 1 –Virgil Fox (1950 Aeolian-Skinner/Symphony Hall, Boston, MA) OrganArts B0004135-02
Hour 2
REGER: Introduction and Passacaglia in d –Jillian Gardner, organist
REGER: 2 Songs (Waldeinsamkeit; Wenn die Linde blüht). HUGO WOLF (trans. Reger): 2 Songs (Gebet; Schlafendes Jesuskind) –Randall Umstead, baritone; Isabelle Demers, organist
REGER: Chorale-Fantasy, Straf mich nicht in deinem Zorn, Op. 40, no. 2 –Raúl Prieto Ramirez, organist
REGER: Choral Cantata No. 4, Meinem Jesum lass ich nicht –Baylor University Chamber Singers/Alan Raines, conductor; Kristen Mortensen, violin; Kathryn Steely, viola; Gary Mortenson, trumpet; Isabelle Demers, organist
REGER: Fugue in E, Op. 65, no. 12 –Isabelle Demers, organist
Attention! You can link to scores of every piece on this program and follow the music as it plays!
The second-hour’s performances feature the McLane Organ (1993 Petty-Madden) in Jones Concert Hall at Baylor University, recorded during a Pipedreams Live! event in Waco, TX (r. 1/24/16). Thanks to audio engineer Rick Carpenter.
Though there are many other recommendable recordings of Reger’s music on instruments of every imaginable kind, Baylor University faculty organist Isabelle Demers has impressively recorded all seven of Reger’s mighty chorale-fantasies on the Aeolian-Skinner organ (Opus 1024) at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Amarillo, TX (Acis 1901).
For more information about this remarkably prolific composer, check out the resources of the Max-Reger-Institute in Karlsruhe, Germany, and the Max Reger Foundation.
