kaufte mir in meiner jugend schon eine lp von diesem werk, hörte es also damals schon: war schwere mudik für mich. darum höere ich es heute nach gut 40 Jahren wieder.
very interesting music. as one commenter has pointed out, reger is not the most melodic or melodically memorable composer there is. and reflecting on the music of his that I know, I tend to agree. reger to me is unmatched in harmonic ingenuity, contrapuntal skill and compositional megalomania but I really can't recall more than a handful of melodies off the top of my head. maybe this is - at least for my ears - where this piece breaks down. it is so incredibly dense, complex and overwhelming that not having something recognisable like a melody, characteristic rhythm or motivic idea to hold on to really kills the listenability. I can only fathom getting a lot from this piece when listening to it in some kind of state of ecstasy or trance, only feeling the music and its direction, basking in the mind-blowing textures. in my opinion his other works for choir and orchestra walk the line a bit better, they are far more understandable while retaining all of regers style and insanity. nevertheless, this is a milestone of musical composition. absolutely incredible to imagine someone coming up with all this and refining it with truly special skills in terms of counterpoint, harmony and orchestration.
This is a true masterpiece, the epitome of “hyper late-post romanticism” which also characterises early Schoenberg, and sometimes Pfitzner as well. When Leonard Bernstein said in his lecture on 20th century music “composers such as reger and Pfitzner were vying for some kind of Oscar to be awarded for the longest, thickest, most complex piece ever written”, or words to that effect, he was surely thinking of pieces like this, Der 100 Psalm, etc, which are rarely performed due to how huge and difficult they are to play. To quote from wiki: “It is not enough to call Reger’s Opus 71, the ink still wet on its pages, the strangest and weirdest thing that has ever resounded in notes. With its dauntless accumulation of huge masses of sound, its unbridled and randomly modulating counterpoint, its strange harmonies leaping over every commonly accepted connecting link and progression, its audacious agglomeration of ugly sounds rarely interrupted by melodic flow, and its difficulties for every participant, far exceeding anything known to date, it may well reach the outermost limit of musical expression altogether, just as it sometimes seems to be an absurd game played with musical forms by a master whose command of his craft borders on genius.” If there was a simpler way to have this performed, whilst maintaining the notes written by the composer, it would be glorious. I would also include the full version of Scriabin’s Mysterium as such a piece rarely performed for similar reasons, and Schoenberg’s Die Jakobsleiter.
Which also begs the question: how come Mahler’s eighth symphony is far more frequently performed and infinitely better known (see the number of views it has compared to this for reference) than either this or Reger’s Der 100 Psalm, despite Mahler’s eighth requiring far larger orchestral and choral forces than either piece? It may be as simple as the truth that Mahler is far more popular. Still, if these Reger pieces were better known, they could attract a larger audience, potentially.
@@scriabinismydog2439 -- Y'know....it's not nice to play tricks on old people. We're sensitive and given to mood-swings. So, really, How old are you in terms of calendars in general use? Also, Where are you? [I'm 75 and live in San Agustinillo, Oaxaca]
In the categories of orchestration, harmonic and thematic flexibility and contrapuntal wizardry Reger is on a par with the greats, Wagner, Strauss and Schoenberg. It is only when it comes to distinctiveness and memorability of thematic material where he is so inferior. I have been listening to many of the chamber, orchestral and choral works of Reger for years and can scarcely remember one theme. The string quartet op. 109 is a notable exception.
That isn't the point of Max Reger's music. His style is partly so unique because of his approach to melody. The melody was a result of the harmony, not the other way around, as it is with so many composers. That being said, I still firmly believe Reger was a great melodist, even if that was secondary importance to him. I find myself humming melodies from his great works. If you find yourself unable to remember any themes from his music, then you haven't been listening hard enough to the music.
@@joshsussman9432 A few ones that I can think of right now is the fugal subject from his Op. 57, some melodies from the first movement of Op. 74, parts from the introduction and theme of Op. 73, the clarinet part from Op. 146, and certainly others I can't think of as of now.
@@gabrielackerman3237 Thank you for that list. I checked out those pieces and I confess that I didn't find anything too magical thematically. Certainly the second theme of the first movement of the Clarinet Quintet is beautiful but that is in the strings. Maybe you are simply easier to please than I am, which is a good quality.
Gloriously insane music! What a shame there's only one recording -- but it's a good one!
Tonight I've had a lot of fun first with Reger and then with Hindemith. Greetings from Vietnam.
... allerbester Reger ... schade, dass es nie zu hören ist ...
kaufte mir in meiner jugend schon eine lp von diesem werk, hörte es also damals schon: war schwere mudik für mich. darum höere ich es heute nach gut 40 Jahren wieder.
very interesting music. as one commenter has pointed out, reger is not the most melodic or melodically memorable composer there is. and reflecting on the music of his that I know, I tend to agree. reger to me is unmatched in harmonic ingenuity, contrapuntal skill and compositional megalomania but I really can't recall more than a handful of melodies off the top of my head. maybe this is - at least for my ears - where this piece breaks down. it is so incredibly dense, complex and overwhelming that not having something recognisable like a melody, characteristic rhythm or motivic idea to hold on to really kills the listenability. I can only fathom getting a lot from this piece when listening to it in some kind of state of ecstasy or trance, only feeling the music and its direction, basking in the mind-blowing textures.
in my opinion his other works for choir and orchestra walk the line a bit better, they are far more understandable while retaining all of regers style and insanity. nevertheless, this is a milestone of musical composition. absolutely incredible to imagine someone coming up with all this and refining it with truly special skills in terms of counterpoint, harmony and orchestration.
I would LOVE to see the PIANO transcription of this! haha!~
This is a true masterpiece, the epitome of “hyper late-post romanticism” which also characterises early Schoenberg, and sometimes Pfitzner as well. When Leonard Bernstein said in his lecture on 20th century music “composers such as reger and Pfitzner were vying for some kind of Oscar to be awarded for the longest, thickest, most complex piece ever written”, or words to that effect, he was surely thinking of pieces like this, Der 100 Psalm, etc, which are rarely performed due to how huge and difficult they are to play. To quote from wiki: “It is not enough to call Reger’s Opus 71, the ink still wet on its pages, the strangest and weirdest thing that has ever resounded in notes. With its dauntless accumulation of huge masses of sound, its unbridled and randomly modulating counterpoint, its strange harmonies leaping over every commonly accepted connecting link and progression, its audacious agglomeration of ugly sounds rarely interrupted by melodic flow, and its difficulties for every participant, far exceeding anything known to date, it may well reach the outermost limit of musical expression altogether, just as it sometimes seems to be an absurd game played with musical forms by a master whose command of his craft borders on genius.” If there was a simpler way to have this performed, whilst maintaining the notes written by the composer, it would be glorious. I would also include the full version of Scriabin’s Mysterium as such a piece rarely performed for similar reasons, and Schoenberg’s Die Jakobsleiter.
Which also begs the question: how come Mahler’s eighth symphony is far more frequently performed and infinitely better known (see the number of views it has compared to this for reference) than either this or Reger’s Der 100 Psalm, despite Mahler’s eighth requiring far larger orchestral and choral forces than either piece? It may be as simple as the truth that Mahler is far more popular. Still, if these Reger pieces were better known, they could attract a larger audience, potentially.
This is so intense...
Scriabin is my Dog -- A real Colossus....echoes at times of R.Strauss and Glière.... "intense" hyper-romanticism (?)
@@steveegallo3384 Yes, this is hyper-romantic, much similar to the last symphonies of Mahler and Schoenberg's Gurrelieder
@@scriabinismydog2439 -- Did you first encounter Reger as a teen? Or later in life??
@@steveegallo3384 I'm currently 14
@@scriabinismydog2439 -- Y'know....it's not nice to play tricks on old people. We're sensitive and given to mood-swings. So, really, How old are you in terms of calendars in general use? Also, Where are you? [I'm 75 and live in San Agustinillo, Oaxaca]
Briliant!
I dont understand this, but damn this is good
bonk
Still more monumental than Mahler! XD I love Reger, especially his organ works!
In the categories of orchestration, harmonic and thematic flexibility and contrapuntal wizardry Reger is on a par with the greats, Wagner, Strauss and Schoenberg. It is only when it comes to distinctiveness and memorability of thematic material where he is so inferior. I have been listening to many of the chamber, orchestral and choral works of Reger for years and can scarcely remember one theme. The string quartet op. 109 is a notable exception.
That isn't the point of Max Reger's music. His style is partly so unique because of his approach to melody. The melody was a result of the harmony, not the other way around, as it is with so many composers. That being said, I still firmly believe Reger was a great melodist, even if that was secondary importance to him. I find myself humming melodies from his great works. If you find yourself unable to remember any themes from his music, then you haven't been listening hard enough to the music.
@@gabrielackerman3237 piano concerto movement 2 be like
@@gabrielackerman3237 I'm curious about which Reger melodies you hum. Examples, please?
@@joshsussman9432 A few ones that I can think of right now is the fugal subject from his Op. 57, some melodies from the first movement of Op. 74, parts from the introduction and theme of Op. 73, the clarinet part from Op. 146, and certainly others I can't think of as of now.
@@gabrielackerman3237 Thank you for that list. I checked out those pieces and I confess that I didn't find anything too magical thematically. Certainly the second theme of the first movement of the Clarinet Quintet is beautiful but that is in the strings.
Maybe you are simply easier to please than I am, which is a good quality.
...and Brahms described Bruckner's music as "Symphonic boa constrictors". He would have had a field day with this.
How in fuck's name could someone conduct such a piece
This is the reason such pieces are unfortunately rarely performed, despite their intrinsic musical value.
one and two and three and . . . since just about everyone is playing/singing just about all the time, maybe there isn't much need for cueing?
Chorus and unison parts of the orchestra outplay the rest. They should be much more piano