A new studio version of late-Romantic landmarks of the solo-cello repertoire by one of the most promising young Italian cellists.
In her own, persuasive introduction to these neglected works, Martina Biondi explains that recording Reger has been a labour of love: a welcome corrective to the persistent idea that the composer’s music suffers from over- intellectual and under-expressive direction.
These are late works, from Reger’s full mastery of style. He wrote them in 1914, just two years before his early and sudden death, exacerbated by decades of alcoholism. Each of the three suites is dedicated to one of the great cellists of the day: Julius Klengel (1859-1933), Hugo Becker (1863-1941), and Paul Grümmer (1879-1965).
With the G major First Suite, Reger esta- blishes a direct comparison with Bach, and the Old Testament of the solo-cello litera- ture. However, Reger’s richer harmony – or implied harmony – and longer melodic phrases soon distinguish these works from their predecessors. Instead of a traditional sequence of dances, Reger gives each suite its own form, enriched with complex contra- puntal elements and new harmonies.
Taken together, the suites invite the listener on a unique and intense journey into Reger’s compositional genius and creativity.
The strength of Reger’s chorale writing also inflects his cello writing, which moves fluidly between meditative and playful moods. The masterful use of thirds and sixths blends seamlessly with the cello’s sonorities, adding technical complexity and virtuosity.
Reger’s natural grandeur of ambition seems to find a natural home on the cello with its warm and human voice, encouraging from the soloist a style of free expression, navigating a continuous dialogue between tradition and innovation.
‘The commitment required to record Reger’s suites,’ sayss Martina Biondi, ‘has taken me on a long and engaging journey. I have often directly confronted the complexi- ty of his music, immersing myself in every detail of these scores, and discovering their true and authentic simplicity. Reger’s music has allowed me not to leave my instincts and spontaneity behind; on the contrary, it is in his compositional richness that my interpretation has found inspiration.’
Max Reger (1873-1916) was a German composer, pianist, organist, conductor and teacher. His love and devotion for Johann Sebastian Bach, to whom he dedicated more than 50 of his works, certainly stands out in his compositional work. In the words of Massimo Mila, he was ‘a supreme chiseller of chamber music, he loved restoring ancient contrapuntal forms: fugues, passacaglias, chaconnes, suites, etc.’
Undoubtedly, the inspiration for Reger’s Suites for Cello Solo came from Bach’s legacy with his Solo Cello Suites. Reger however changed the structure and character of the traditional sequence of dances associated with Bach, creating new forms containing complex contrapuntal elements and new harmonies.
The mood changes from the playful to the profound, the form changes from traditional to innovative: these are masterful and intensely personal creations of a genius composer.
Beautifully played by Martina Biondi, a winner of several international cello competitions, and former student of Giovanni Sollima and Nicolas Altstaedt.
