Reger, Max (own name Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian)

composer

born: 19.03.1873 in Brand (Upper Palatinate)

died: 11.05.1916 in Leipzig

Showerhead or "social democrat" among composers, who preached subversion, were nasty attributes that critics attributed to the composer Reger.

In 1890, Reger followed his then famous teacher Hugo Riemann to Wiesbaden as a theory student and was immediately accepted as a lecturer for piano, organ and theory at the Fuchs Conservatory. He wrote his first works, which he offered in vain to the music publisher B. Schott's Söhne in Mainz. Occasionally he climbed the steps to the Marktkirche organ to play extensively. He was a restless man, and not a quiet tenant, as can be seen from his many addresses during his short time in Wiesbaden. His correspondence shows: Mainzer Strasse 66, Karlstrasse 44, Bleichstrasse 39, Parkstrasse 2, Oranienstrasse 16, Riehlstrasse 6 and Sedanstrasse 6.

Failures as a composer (he dedicated his first cello sonata op. 5 to the then solo cellist of the Wiesbaden orchestra, Oskar Brückner (1857-1930); the latter, however, made disparaging remarks about the music) depressed Reger; an unhappy love affair with Mathilde Hilf, the daughter of a Wiesbaden government councillor, intensified the crisis. He felt lonely and fled into alcohol. He later referred to his Wiesbaden period as the "Sturm- und Trankzeit" (storm and drinking time) with his characteristic sarcastic humor and, devoted to beer, often sat in the Ratskeller, but also enjoyed wine in the Rheingau.

However, he also enjoyed some success. His works were performed in several cities. In Frankfurt am Main, he met Richard Strauss and Ferruccio Busoni, with whom he remained in contact. But deep despair prevailed. In October 1896, the military called him up. He had to pay for his equipment, had no more income and fell into debt, fell ill and was hospitalized after only a few weeks. Two operations did not help; he was soon discharged.

Hopeless and desolate, he experienced further derogatory judgments, which even friendly contact with Brahms did nothing to alleviate. His sister brought him back to his parents' house in Weiden in the Upper Palatinate in June 1898. There he recovered within a few months and, together with Richard Strauss, soon became one of the most frequently performed German composers. In 1912, Reger made another guest appearance in Wiesbaden with the Meininger Hofkapelle.

He became known above all for his incredible organ compositions, an independent development of Bach's polyphony, his numerous choral works (many of which were intended for church services), his finely nuanced chamber music and his late orchestral works orchestrated with impressionistic finesse. He died of heart failure on a trip to Leipzig.