Max Reger - Clarinet Quintet, Op. 146
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- Опубліковано 5 сер 2024
- - Composer: Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger (19 March 1873 -- 11 May 1916)
- Performers: Sabine Meyer (clarinet), Wiener Streichsextett
- Year of recording: 1995
Clarinet Quintet in A major, Op. 146, written in 1916.
00:00 - I. Moderato ed amabile
09:35 - II. Vivace
15:09 - III. Largo
24:42 - IV. Theme with 8 Variations. Poco allegretto
The very last of Max Reger's 146 opus-number work designations was assigned to the Quintet for clarinet and strings in A major of 1915. Reger continued working on a few pieces up to his death in May of the following year, but, excepting some short keyboard and organ works and an addendum to 1914's Op. 135, he would complete none of them, leaving the Clarinet Quintet to stand as his last statement. The Quintet helps us better appreciate the depth of Reger's contribution to the chamber literature -- to understand that he was not just the last in a long line of great German organ composers. His many violin sonatas contain a quarter century's worth of development as a composer -- really the whole span of his active career -- and the last two string quartets (Opp. 109 and 121 of 1909 and 1911, respectively) are rarely heard gems of the repertory. And crowning the whole body of Reger's chamber music output is the Clarinet Quintet; many feel it to be among his very finest achievements.
A love of German musical tradition and all the finesse and subtlety that it demands from a composer informs the best of Reger's music, and Op. 146 is no exception. Classicism meets rich, sophisticated late Romantic chromaticism (late Brahms, Schönberg) in ways one who has never run across Reger might well imagine to be impossible.
- The first movement (Moderato ed amabile) is spacious and lyrical, with a broad first theme and a tranquil, stop-and-go second one that winds in and around the expected key of the dominant.
- The scherzo (Vivace) movement which follows, as per tradition, is the shortest of the four; the conflict of rhythm -- "threes" in the strings and "twos" in the clarinet -- is probably the movement's most becoming feature.
- The following Largo is a reflective, even introspective, essay in three parts, and is among the most heartfelt music Reger ever composed.
- The final movement (Poco allegretto) is a theme and variations -- one of Reger's hallmarks as a composer. Like his more famous examples, The Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Mozart for orchestra [or 2 pianos], Op. 132, and the Variations and Fugue on a Theme of J. S. Bach for piano, Op. 81, this final movement illuminates Reger's particular talent in the genre.
The clarinet quintet is dedicated: "Meinem Freunde Professor Karl Wendling zugeeignet".
Reger's Largos are something else. It's also one of his last works, he kept writing insane masterpieces until his last breath. What a hardworking
man he was!
I can't help but remark about this work by responding to much of the previous discussion here. First of all, this Quintet has beauty, character, charm, and depth, and reflects upon and builds upon Brahms' music, in Reger's own original melodic vocabulary. It is academic, yes, in the sense that Reger learned his craft and knew how to compose; but to accomplish what he did, that is, to write music that is at once intellectual and also capable of plumbing the depths of ones soul, took true inspiration and greatness. This combination of qualities is missing in not a few composers whose music may be better known.
for me this is a terrific piece. the second subject of the first movement is one of my favorite melodies but I think it it is important to slow down a bit and breathe between the phrases. it sounds rather ordinary in this performance.
Like that of his near contemporary, Franz Schmidt, Reger's technical brilliance as a composer attracted adverse comment from both jealous rival composers and tin-eared critics.
+1,000
What a fascinating, and stimulating, collection of opinions! Frankly, I find the Clarinet Quintet beautiful and, for me, it's fairly melodic in a very obvious Brahms fashion (which bothers me not a whit), and not at all typical of Reger. I have been recently binging of his Op. 82 ("From My Diary"), a set of four "books" of delicious piano pieces. Those who find Reger sparse in melody might give this a listen.
It´s a beautiful quintet. Extremely unique. Incredibly original.
unglaublich schöne Musik…
Today I listened to this work again and I found it much more interesting. I must recognize I was unfair with my previous commentary. This quintet has a sort of autumnal atmosphere like the Brahms' (even the last movement is a set of variations), it's meditative, yet with a dense harmony and less tuneful. Definitely, listening experience grows over the time with as many works as you appreciate, ear develops more and more. As a result, I could understand much better this composition.
Reger wins when listened to frequently. Nothing for impatient and/or superficial characters. Thus your second statement does you credit.
Nicht nur Nietzsche, auch Reger will 'wiedergekäut' werden! :D
@@Maximilian2808 :-))
Wie bei Brahms. Wenn ich daran denke, was ich von seiner Vierten früher gehalten habe und was ich heute von ihr halte...
Und die ist noch nicht mal meine Lieblingssymphonie von ihm.
Can you explain your definition of tune? Because when I listen to this piece I hear extremely beautiful tunes, it sounds melodic as much as Brahms to me.
@@yagiz885 I don't feel his tunes so memorable. That's something I've felt in my experience with this composer's music. Reger's strength doesn't lie in good melodies, but in strong and complex developments and structures IMO.
A supremely elegant piece.
Such a gem.
Thank you for this wonderful upload. Made my day :)
Beautiful piece, excellent performance. Thanks for sharing.
Gorgeous piece. In many ways I like it better than the more famous Brahms. Sharon Kam recorded the Reger beautifully with Isabelle van Keulen and others on the Berlin label recently - with greater intensity than Meyer.
The fact that Max Reger isn't a household name shows just how limited the filter of history can sometimes can be.
It helps to take a seasick pill before you listen to this music.
THANK YOU!!!...
Le Vivace est particulièrement inspiré. L'interprétation est de grande classe.
Great piece. Great performance. Thank you for posting!
I adore this music.
Reger is like Brahms on crack...Sehr geehrter Herr! Ich sitze hier im kleinsten Raum meines Hauses und lese Ihre Kritik. Noch habe ich sie vor mir...Bald werde ich sie hinter mir haben.
This is by far the best response to a letter
It's not like Brahms at all. Unless you mean to say it's both late romantic chamber music. Brahms doesn't come close to the chromatic stuff Reger's doing. See for instance a typical passage very close to the end, 32:38 and on, in the violins. This is vintage Reger; Brahms would never write such a descending chromatic line. The other thing is in this piece Reger often buries the clarinet in the strings and avoids the lyrical soaring business, which had been done so many times before. Note too how often the 1st violin sounds flageolet notes as if imitating the clarinet's sound. The violin's final note is an A flageolet.
immense genius
Very beautiful work, as the Quintet of Brahms. Thank you.
If, and when, if granted the privilege to reach “old age” - (I’m 77) music such as this marvel of a Reger quintet will perhaps begin to make sense, given a certain acquaintance with other music of this sort. Listen in, listen in !!!
19:39 Sabine Meyer playing a wrong note! Who would've thought it possible?
Just shows us she's a human, I think :)
For me it is not wrong.
@@didierschein8515 I don't get you. She plays a different note than the one written in the score - how can that not be wrong "for you"?
@@Feisenbach Maybe you`re right. Welche Note ?
@@didierschein8515 The first bar after the rehearsal mark number 4: she plays a high F and it should have been an F sharp.
almost seems to prepare the way for the second Viennese school. somewhere between brahms and schoenberg.
Absolutely. I'd probably say closer to between Brahms and Hindemith though.
Exact. It is existing a way between Brahms and Schönberg.
@@didierschein8515 Except this was written AFTER Schönberg's first atonal works. Reger was only 1 year older than Schönberg, but after 1907 his music became more conservative.
@@juliusseizure591 You`re wright, Reger and Schönberg are from the same generation. But it was a rich period of creation, befopre Schönberg`s first atonal works, whern a very chromatic harmony was in the limit of the atonalism. Some works of Reger are too in this style, like the Third Quartet for ex. But Reger didn`t cross the border of atonalisn.
@@didierschein8515 Good point. I must admit I find Reger's pieces like String Quartet 3 much more interesting than this Clarinet Quintet. In 1910, talking about Schönberg's Klavierstucke Op. 11, Reger wrote to a friend: “Whether this kind of thing can still be granted the name of music, I do not know.... Oh, it’s time to become conservative!”
Interesting. I know Reger mostly for his 'kunstharmonium'---a kind of reed organ--pieces.
Are you thinking of Karg-Elert? Reger didn't have any opus numbers for the Harmonium, and only arranged a few fairly minor works for the instrument.
@@gabrielackerman3237 He wrote lots of organ pieces for manuals only that work just as well on harmonium.
I wonder why composers like Brahms and Reger turned to the clarinet towards the ends of their careers? It blends so well with the sound of a string quartet and perfectly lends the melancholy 'wailing' quality about which Clara talked in her letter about his quintet.
The same world as the clarinet-quintet of Brahms.
Analysing his music is a total nightmare.
Thank goodness.
The first movement maybe but the rest are wonderful
Ptus
This work doesn't hold my attention that much. Unfortunately, it's something that often happens with some of his works. The lack of melodies or recognizable themes is a disadvantage I find about many compositions by this composer. Possibly this quintet is a great work as many people point out, but I can't enjoy it as I wanted. Anyway, thanks for spreading this music for everyone.
i actually enjoyed it a ton... did you listen past the first 2 minutes?
@@andersrhedin1877 See my other reply on the same video!
באתי לפה בגלל מתן יעקב החתיכי..
How can someone be this devoid of melodic sensibility. Not a single phrase is punctuated. It's just a barrage of notes serving no ultimate purpose.
Pleasant and sometimes interesting music, if rather maundering. But a pimple next to the Brahms or Mozart. I'm impressed he had the guts to even try!
Let's hear your Clarinet Quintet, Fred, and see how *that* compares!
Guts is the best item in the composer's toolkit. I thing I will make a clarinet quintet or a wind quintet. I don't know about Reger, but if Fred has the gal to write a rebuttal, it will be a pimple next to me.
The gall or the Gal (as in Hans), Randy? You certainly couldn't accuse Max Reger of lacking guts, in any sense of the word!
Nice to explore the byways, where sometimes gems may be found. For example the clarinet quintets by Bliss and, well... Reger.
why do you compare Reger to Mozart?
The combination of clarinet and string quartet, already unorthodox by itself, doesn't sound as good as in Brahms. The harmony is a bit weird also.
I disagree, I think the combination of clarinet+SQ is quite successful, and Reger's writing here is excellent, the tonality is more advanced than Brahms' but it's still in the Late-romantic idiom and shows Reger at his best, IMHO.
Just lack of familiarity with the composer, his idiom and the composition itself. A medium employed by Mozart and Brahms in two of their most celebrated compositions can hardly be called "unorthodox", even if it has inspired few imitators and aspirants.
You just couldn't be more wrong. Firstly, I'm not at all unfamiliar with Reger; secondly, the formation with the clarinet is, indeed, unorthodox. That is pretty much objective. Having one or two great works for such a formation in the repertoire by itself doesn't make it orthodox. The fact that other formations were preferred over this one along history is what makes it unorthodox.
@Mr Preuss Besides the works of Reger, Mozart and Brahms you'll find works for this formation by composers such as Weber, Glazunov, Busoni, Hindemith, Reicha, Baermann, Finzi, Gordon Jacob, Arthur Bliss and Jean Francaix - besides a number of lesser known composers. How many works will it take to make the formation orthodox in your opinion?
You miss the point, @Fesisenbach. As I've previously said, it is not the numerical fact alone that makes something orthodox or not. I believe the question of quantity is rather secondary, in this sense, regarding a strictly semantical consideration of the term. In my understanding, what makes something orthodox is its insertion in a certain, say, practical ideal; a liturgy, so to speak. In itself rather a quality, than quantity.
This is simply ridiculous, please...
+Ricardo da Mata Ridiculously good, yes?
+olla-vogala Reger is nothing but an academic with no talent.
Ricardo da Mata
That's a bit of a pompous statement, couldn't you say for example what is good/bad about this specific piece?
olla-vogala Reger is not capable to create a good melody with an interesting accompaniment. All he does is to put notes, more notes, and then more notes, which is ridiculous. Listen to Brahms’ and Mozart’s quintets and see how inferior Reger is. He is a kind of tonal Schoenberg who uses only his cold mind to compose.
Ricardo da Mata
I see where you are coming from, Reger does have a tendency to do that. But this piece specifically I find one of his better pieces, there are good memorable melodies, beautiful textures etc. That's why I asked you to say something about this particular piece!