This new recording presents two pianistic masterworks by Max Reger: the Bach Variations Op. 81 and the cycle Traume am Kamin. Max Reger (1873-1916), hailed as "the last giant in music" by composer Paul Hindemith, occupies a commanding position in the late Romantic and early 2th-century German musical landscape. Reger's musical legacy marks a distinct bridge between the 19th-century Romantic tradition and the burgeoning complexities of the 2th century. Reger's music is defined by dense textures, chromatic harmonies, and meticulous contrapuntal craftsmanship. His compositions, characterized by a demanding technical prowess, require performers and listeners to engage intellectually. Influenced by predecessors like Johann Sebastian Bach, and Johannes Brahms, Reger aimed to reconcile Romantic expression with the contrapuntal rigor of the Baroque era, while embracing modernist perspectives that pushed the boundaries of tonality. The Bach Variations Op. 81 offer everything that is characteristic of Reger's advanced style - sophisticated harmonies, a dizzying abundance of notes, roaring climaxes, monumental architecture, and seamless polyphony. The Traume am Kamin is a cycle of modestly scaled, intimate character pieces, charming and melodious. Eden Walker, born in 1995, is a British pianist based in Hamburg, Germany. His focus on delving into the underrepresented virtuoso piano works of composers such as Reger, Busoni, Alkan, and Godowsky have earned him a reputation as a pianist adept at navigating the technical and intellectual intricacies of this challenging repertoire.
