Reger, Max

COMPOSER, PIANIST, CONDUCTOR, MUSIC TEACHER (BAVARIA)
BORN 19 Mar 1873, Brand, Bayern (near Kemnath) - DIED 11 May 1916, Leipzig, Sachsen
BIRTH NAME Reger, Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian
CAUSE OF DEATH heart failure
GRAVE LOCATION München, Bayern: Waldfriedhof (131-W-14)

Max Reger studied music theory in Sonderhausen and piano as well as theory in Wiesbaden. He became a concert pianist and composed piano and organ works. Later in his career he also wrote orchestral compositions.

In 1899 he courted Elsa von Bercken, who rejected him. In 1901 he went to Munich where he started to make himself a name. His publications, concerts and teaching enabled him to marry Elsa in 1902. She was a devorced protestant and he was excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

In 1907 he was appointed musical director at the church of Leipzig university (until 1908) as well as professor at the Conservatory in Leipzig. In Leipzig he wasn't popular with the pulibc and the press and in 1911 he moved to Meiningen, although he continued his master class in Leipzig. In Meiningen he was musical director at the court of Duke George II. Because of health problems he gave up his position in 1914. In 1915 he settled in Jena and he travelled to Leipzig once a week. He died of a heart attack in a hotel in Leipzig in 1916.

Related persons
• was teacher of Denera, Erna
• was a friend of Georg II, herzog von Sachsen-Meiningen
• was teacher of Haas, Joseph
• was teacher of Savinio, Alberto
• was teacher of Schmidt-Gentner, Willy

Images

The grave of Max Reger at the Waldfriedhof, Munich.
Picture by Androom (22 Aug 2007)

 

Sources
Encyclopedie van de Muziek, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1959
Max Reger - Wikipedia (EN)


Regnault, Jean Baptiste, Baron

Published: 10 Jan 2020
Last update: 11 Feb 2022