Max Reger - Chamber Music Vol 1-5 - Mannheimer String Quartet
Reger is considered by many to be the most important composer to elaborate on the stylistic traits of Johannes Brahms and move German music into the twentieth century.
He was an extremely prolific composer, surpassing many of the ninetheenth century masters in volume during his short life. He was also a driven man, consumed by hard living. Reger composed in most every form of the time, except opera and the symphony proper. His style is contrapuntally dense, with extremely fast modulations lending an atonal feel to many of his lines, though the music remains strictly tonal in its harmonic direction. He was one of the main composers to resuscitate the fugue as a living, independent form. His organ music is considered by many to be second only to Johann Sebastian Bach's in depth and significance. This, along with much of his output, requires a large degree of virtuosity. His orchestral writing is virtually opaque in color – some would say turgid – having something of the feel of organ registrations, though it lightens with age. Even in his concertos, he often draws upon Protestant hymns as thematic material. His large volume of chamber music is perhaps his most significant contribution to the concert repertory. This part of his output contains some of the largest and most emotionally draining music in its genre. ~ Todd McComb (6/94)
Set Description
MD&G's productions are distinguished by the most demanding standards: musically and technically speaking.
The Mannheimer Quartet are the common force throughout all five volumes. In the last two volumes they are joined by Claudius Tanski already a regular on MD&G's ongoing German Romantics series (Draeseke, Bruch et al).
This, by the way, is not a boxed set but five individually available albums...
Artist: Mannheimer String Quartet Claudius Tanski (piano)
Album: The Chamber Music - Five Volumes
Composer: Max Reger (1873–1916)
Genre: Chamber
Source: CD. MDG gold 336 0711-0715-2
Year: 1997
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Mannheimer String Quartet
In 1975, four young musicians came together to form the Mannheimer String Quartet, named after a city well established in musical history. Intensive training with the Amadeus and LaSalle Quartets but most of all with the Melos Quartet prepared the young musicians for numerous performances and competitions in Europe.
During the first years of experience, the MSQ won the award at the Karl Klingler Competition in Hanover, the 9th international String Quartet Competition in Evian, Switzerland and in 1985 was awarded the "Felix-Medelssohn-Bartholdy-Preis" in Berlin. One year later the ensemble went to win the first prize at the "German Music Competition" in Bonn. It won a reputation for excellence, performs both in Germany and abroad.
The concerts as well as the recordings of the MSQ cover a wide range of string quartet literature , starting with Dittersdorf through Mozart and Tschaikowsky to Denhoff. Participation in many television and radio broadcast also prove the merits of the MSQ, placing it in the circle of renowned international string quartets.
Claudius Tanski (Piano):
...The German pianist, Claudius Tanski, began studying the piano at the age of 14 at the Folkwang-Hochschule in Essen (with Michael Deichmann and Georg Stieglitz). After completing his studies in Essen in 1978 he pursued further studies (also conducting and song accompaniment) in Salzburg, Vienna (with Professor Hans Leygraf and Professor Heinz Medjimorec), and Munich. Upon conclusion of his formal studies, Alfred Brendel was to become his most important teacher. He is the recipient of a number of major distinctions and international prizes (Vercelli, Bolzano, and Budapest among others)....
Vol. 1
Mannheimer String Quartet
String Quartet Op. 54 No. 1 (1899)
String Quartet Op. 54 No. 2 (1899)
String Trio Op. 77b (1904)
Vol. 2
Mannheimer String Quartet
String Quartet Op. 74 (1903)
String Trio Op. 141b (1915)
Vol. 3
Mannheimer String Quartet
String Quartet Op. 109 (1909)
String Quartet Op. 121 (1911)
Vol. 4
Claudius Tanski (piano), Mannheimer String Quartet
Piano Quartet Op. 133 (1914)
Three Duos (two violins) Op. 131b (1913)
Vol. 5
Claudius Tanski (piano), Mannheimer String Quartet
Piano Quartet Op. 113 (1910)
Serenade for flute, violin and viola Op. 141a (arr two violin and viola) (1915)
