Max Reger’s Bach transcriptions for piano solo are comprised of four organ preludes and fugues plus 16 chorale preludes. Piano mavens will find it fascinating to evaluate Reger’s treatment of the D major BWV 532, E-flat “St. Anne’s” BWV 552, and D minor BWV 565 and several chorale preludes alongside Busoni’s better known versions. In general, Reger deploys octave doublings more discreetly (compare the St. Anne’s Prelude or the chorale prelude Ich ruf’ zu dir, for example), and a wider range of dynamic gradations prevail. He makes liberal use of the sustain pedal, yet never to the point where even the busiest counterpoint blurs–a good example of this can be found in the chorale prelude Valet will ich dir geben. Note also Reger’s relatively sober reading of the famous, declamatory D minor prelude, with a G-sharp instead of the more commonly heard G-natural in the opening measures, plus varied articulations in echoed phrases. Pianist Markus Becker’s strong fingers, consistently warm, rounded tone, and serious demeanor suit Reger’s Bachian aesthetic well. In sum, this is a worthy addition to Hyperion’s valuable Bach transcription series, replete with excellent sonics and annotations. [6/2/2009]
