Max Reger

(b. 1873 - d. 1916) Max Reger's fame as a composer was enhanced by his successful tours as a soloist and conductor in Germany and throughout Europe. While he continued to produce major chamber works and organ pieces, he also wrote such important orchestral compositions as the Variationen und Fuge über ein lustiges Thema von J.A. Hiller, op. 100 (1907). As a result, having been awarded an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Jena in 1908, he composed his most distinguished sacred work, the Psalm C, op. 106 (1908-1909). He was called to Meiningen as conductor of the Court Orchestra in 1911, assuming the title Hofkapellmeister. He was also Generalmusikdirektor (1913-1914). 

Max Reger was an extraordinarily gifted musician, widely respected as a composer, pianist, organist, conductor and teacher. A master of polyphonic and harmonic writing, he carried on the hallowed Classical and Romantic schools of composition. Because he wrote major works in nearly every genre, his music has not found a place of permanence in the repertoire.