This important CD restores to the international catalogues two of the first and most important post-war recordings of Max Reger’s orchestral music by two of the greatest interpreters of his work - Karl Böhm and Paul van Kempen- conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in legendary performances from 1951 and 1956.
"...But both are great performances. There is a tendency with more recent recordings of Reger’s orchestral music to lay off the drama, to make it all sound like civilised salon music. Not here though. True, Reger’s moments of dramatic intensity tend to be fleeting, but all are given their due by both conductors. Audio-wise, you can’t expect miracles from recordings made in the mid-1950s, but German recordings from that period tend to have the edge over most others, and these aren’t bad at all. There is no peak distortion, the quiet passages (mostly woodwind solos) are clear enough to be enjoyable, and the range of dynamics in between is plenty wide enough for Reger’s purposes. What you’ll find on this disc may not be sufficient to convert you to Reger’s cause, but if you already know these works, then these recordings offer a fascinating perspective. Historically, they are about half way between the composer’s own time and ours. Artistically, though, they are as close to the composer’s musical world as you are likely to find at this level of audio quality."
Gavin Dixon
"...if this release sparks your interest, buy it now while it is available – you will not be disappointed"
David Patmore
