Composer

:

Max Reger

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Chorale Prelude

Compose Date

:

1902

Average_duration

:

1:52

Max Reger's Chorale Prelude "Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten" (He who lets dear God rule alone) is a piece for organ, Op. 67/47. It was composed in 1902 and premiered on October 26, 1902, in the St. Paul's Church in Munich, Germany. The piece is structured in three movements, with the first and third movements being variations on the chorale melody, and the second movement being a free interlude. The first movement is a gentle and introspective setting of the chorale melody, with the melody presented in the upper voice and accompanied by a flowing, arpeggiated figure in the lower voice. The second movement is a more dramatic and virtuosic interlude, with a fast and complex figuration in the right hand and a pedal line that alternates between a low drone and a series of fast, ascending scales. The third movement returns to the chorale melody, but this time in a more elaborate and ornate setting, with the melody presented in the pedal and accompanied by a series of intricate figurations in the upper voices. Reger's Chorale Prelude is characterized by its rich and complex harmonies, its virtuosic and demanding organ writing, and its deep and introspective mood. The piece is a masterful example of Reger's unique style, which combined the traditional forms and techniques of the Baroque era with the chromatic harmonies and complex textures of the late Romantic era. The piece is also notable for its use of the chorale melody, which was a common source of inspiration for Reger and other composers of the time, and which serves as a unifying thread throughout the work. Overall, Reger's Chorale Prelude "Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten" is a powerful and moving work that showcases the composer's mastery of the organ and his unique musical voice.

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