Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, Max Reger, Franz Lehrndorfer :: Bach, Reger: Organ Music

J.S. Bach (1685-1750) and Max Reger (1873-1916) represent the 'book-ends' of German organ literature. When Germany assumed international leadership in the areas of both organ building and composing for the organ in the 17th century, a more liberal approach to playing the organ began to dominate. Rather than having an organ composition being strictly based on chorales, many divergent elements including improvisation gradually became accepted, and hence the literature for the organ became multi-faceted as a result. No composer stands for this formal and stylistic diversity more than Bach, and it would be rather difficult to stand up to these demands better than Franz Lehrndorfer does. Disc 1 of this double CD features two of Bach's more popular toccatas, BWV 564 and 566, along with the rarely heard Schuebler Chorales (transcriptions of earlier works), BWV 645-650. Prof. Lehrndorfer plays the organ at St. Quirin in Tegernsee/Bavaria, built by Georg Jann in 1980; Jann also built the new cathedral organ in Munich, as featured on The Concert (13109-2) and Celestial Christmas 5 (13090-2), both by Franz Lehrndorfer.Max Reger's work covers the compositional styles from baroque to those of the late romantic age developing them further into a very personal approach to 'panchromatic harmony'. For the organist, Reger's oeuvre is a second high point in the history of organ literature. Disc 2 presents a wide selection of works for the organ having been written over long periods in the composer's life. Reger's music is deep and passionate; although Reger was known to greatly admire Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, he nevertheless charted new territory leading far into the 20th century and its harmonic innovations. Reger's music has been characterized as 'the artistic symbol of the religious' and as 'mystic' and 'ecstatic.' The composer's deep devotion leads to a joyful, although at times earnest, expression of spirituality transcending previously known boundaries. Franz Lehrndorfer chose the organ in the Dome at Eichstatt/Bavaria which was built by Hubert Sandtner in 1975 for these recordings.Both discs have been digitally recorded originally in co-production with the Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian Radio) in Munich, and were remastered by Ulrich Kraus, a life-long friend of the artist and a frequent contributor of long standing both as a producer and engineer to the quality of Celestial Harmonies recordings. These recordings have never been available internationally, and they were difficult to obtain in Germany. Celestial Harmonies is pleased to reissue these masters world-wide, and to warrant their permanent availability.