Reger, (Johann Baptist Joseph) Max(imilian) (1873–1916)

German composer, pianist, and professor at the Leipzig Conservatory from 1907. A master of the fugue, with the ability to control tightly the form and harmonic direction of his compositions, Reger is sometimes regarded as the greatest composer for organ since Johann Sebastian Bach. His works embody a particular blend of contrapuntal ingenuity and Romantic sentimentality, and include symphonic poems, sonatas, Romantic character pieces, and orchestral variations and fugues on themes by Beethoven, Mozart, and other less well known composers.

Reger was a master of counterpoint, integrating 19th-century chromatic developments into his works. He first learnt music from his mother and at the age of 13 he became organist at the Catholic church of Weiden in Bavaria, where his parents had moved in 1874. After three years there Heinrich Reimann was consulted about his gifts and invited him to become his pupil at Sondershausen. Reger went there in 1890 and the next year followed his master to Wiesbaden, where he soon became a teacher at the Conservatory. A period divided between hard work and dissipation led to a serious breakdown, and he lived with his parents at Weiden again 1899–1901, writing vast quantities of music, including many more pieces for organ.

In 1901 he went to Munich in the hope of making his way as a composer, but posing as a progressive while being in reality a conservative, he made enemies all round and had some success only with his piano playing. The Sinfonietta for orchestra was a failure at its Berlin premiere, although it is now recognized as one of his most attractive works. He began to tour Germany and also visited Prague and Vienna, and gradually his work became known; he also made a reputation as a remarkable composition teacher. In 1907 he settled at Leipzig as music director to the University and professor at the Conservatory, soon resigning the former post as uncongenial, but retaining the latter for the rest of his life. In 1911 he became conductor of the ducal orchestra at Meiningen, with which he went on tour, but this came to an end in 1914, when he went to live at Jena, travelling to Leipzig each week to carry out his duties at the Conservatory.

Works Orchestral variations on themes by Johann Adam Hiller (1907) and by Mozart (1914), Romantic Suite (1912), four tone-poems (on pictures by Böcklin) for orchestra (1913); piano concerto (1910), violin concerto (1908).

Chamber clarinet quintet; seven violin and piano sonatas, three clarinet and piano sonatas.

Organ two sonatas, two suites, Fantasy and Fugue on B.A.C.H., Variations and Fugue on original theme, Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue, and other pieces.

Piano and songs Variations and Fugue on theme by Bach (1904) and numerous smaller works for piano, piano duets; many songs including Schlichte Weisen; part songs.