Reger: The Works For Men's Choir, Vol. 1

Ensemble Vocapella Limburg; Meister, Tristan

Max Reger's songs for men's choir are set in a highly sophisticated way, yet they sound rather simple and dance-like. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the death of the great master, the Ensemble Vocapella Limburg presents the world's first complete recording of these sometimes humorous, sometimes yearning songs. Paul Hindemith called him the “last giant in music”, not only referring to Max Reger’s vast oeuvre, but also to his significance for the history of music. Besides several works for organ, piano and orchestra, Reger wrote a multitude of pieces for men’s choir that were published as adaptions of folk songs in various collections of songs between 1898 and 1900. Pieces like Ich ging durch einen grasgrünen Wald, Die Erde braucht Regen or Das Lieben bringt groß Freud are evidence of Reger’s outstanding abilities as a composer. The Sieben Männerchöre op. 38 stand out as a particularly pivotal and challenging collection of pieces that demand the highest respect from every renowned men’s choir. Letting these songs still sound simple and light takes an equally excellent choir: The Ensemble Vocapella Limburg and its director Tristan Meister know best how to express the sometimes humorous, sometimes languishing and sometimes yearning character of the songs to best effect. With Lebewohl, they have set a monument to the great composer Max Reger, whose 100th anniversary of death we commemorate this year.

Price: $27.98