RWA Online Blog RWA Volume I/6 – Organ pieces II; Biographical context

RWA Volume I/6 – Organ pieces II; Biographical context

Alexander Becker, Stefan König, Christopher Grafschmidt, Stefanie Steiner-Grage

1.

In the first year after moving away from the small town of Weiden, Reger established himself, if not a little controversially, as a composer, vocal accompanist and chamber musician in the cultural life of Munich, although he clearly distanced himself with his works from the new German “Munich School” around Max Schillings. After composing the Symphonic Fantasia and Fugue op. 57 and the Piano Quintet in C minor op. 64 (both 1901), he consolidated his reputation as a bold, modern composer with the Violin Sonata in C major op. 72 and the String Quartet in D minor op. 74 (both 1903), polarising audiences and critics alike.

The Munich publisher Jos. Aibl, with whom most of Reger’s works had appeared since 1898, got into difficulties in 1902 because of the constant illness of its co-owner Eugen Spitzweg1, but new collaborations with publishers including C.F. Peters resulted (organ opp. 59 and 65 and the Piano Quintet op. 64). In order to achieve wider recognition and for greater financial security, Reger increasingly wrote occasional pieces, most of which were published without opus number as music inserts in periodicals. Increasing fame and growing success allowed him to court Elsa von Bercken again2, and after their wedding on 25 October 1902 to set up home with her.

The publisher Lauterbach & Kuhn, founded the same year, finally offered him an exclusive contract in December, which was to tie Reger to the publisher and guarantee him a annual basic salary of 4,000 Marks. Without taking any legal advice, Reger accepted a contract for life.3 

1
In 1904 the publisher was sold to Universal Edition in Vienna and its head office moved to Leipzig.
2
Elsa von Bercken had rejected Reger’s first proposal of marriage in 1899.
3
“It is self-evident that I would 1000 x rather make such an agreement with you than with other firms; as I have got to know both of you, my most esteemed gentlemen, and to appreciate your most sympathetic way towards me! Of course I am firmly convinced that, with the good will with which you approach me, it is an excellent idea to make a contract for life; I give you my firm assurance that I will only send you works which I am fully capable of championing!” (Letter dated 19 December 1902 to Lauterbach & Kuhn) After legal disputes in 1907 the contractual obligation was limited to the period up to 31 December 1913.
About this Blogpost

Authors:
Alexander Becker, Stefan König, Christopher Grafschmidt, Stefanie Steiner-Grage

Translations:
Elizabeth Robinson (en)

Date:
30th September 2014

Tags:
Module IVol. I/6

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Citation

Alexander Becker, Stefan König, Christopher Grafschmidt, Stefanie Steiner-Grage: RWA Volume I/6 – Organ pieces II; Biographical context, in: Reger-Werkausgabe, www.reger-werkausgabe.de/rwa_post_00053, version 3.1.0-rc3, 20th December 2024.

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