Max Reger (1873-1916)

Max Reger (1873-1916) was a German composer and one of the most prominent figures in German music history during the early 20th century. While his contemporary Richard Strauss (1864-1949) gained fame for so-called “program music” such as operas and tone poems, Reger dedicated himself to studying the works of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms (the “German Three Bs”), aiming to position himself as a legitimate successor to the German musical tradition. Concurrently, he also explored the “extended harmony” of Liszt and Wagner. The hallmark of Reger's compositions lies in their highly contrapuntal nature, combining classical structures with contemporary harmonic language. His compositional approach was profoundly rooted in “absolute music,” and he particularly excelled in writing fugues and variations.

Four Special Studies for the Left Hand

The Four Special Studies for the Left Hand is a work that amply showcases the aforementioned characteristics of Reger's style. Pieces written specifically for the left hand alone, without any use of the right hand, are inherently limited in terms of the notes that can be composed due to technical constraints. This means that the types of figurations and the number of notes playable by the left hand alone are severely restricted, including physical limitations. To overcome these compositional challenges, a diverse sense of harmony and a mastery of variation technique are essential to prevent “monotony” from identical repetitions. Reger, with his expertise in fugues and variations, masterfully overcomes these issues.

• No. 1 Scherzo & No. 2 Humoresque: While these pieces exhibit a certain rigidity characteristic of etudes, they demand a wide range of harmonic colors, timbres, and touch variations from the performer, making them highly rewarding to play.
• No. 3 Romance: This movement is primarily built upon identical repetitions, characterized by diverse harmonic changes and sophisticated techniques of identical variation. Although there is no firm evidence that Reger heard Scriabin's Two Pieces for the Left Hand, Op. 9 (composed 1894-1895), the figurations observed in the third movement are frequently used in Scriabin's works and are likely common idioms for left-hand compositions.
• No. 4 Prelude and Fugue: This movement displays a Bach-like structure, with the three-voice fugue being particularly impressive. The fourth movement is an exceptionally difficult piece and is rarely performed.

A notable feature throughout the entire work is the scarcity of rests. When performing this piece (especially Nos. 3 and 4), it would be effective to practice with both hands in addition to practicing with the left hand alone, given the clear structure of the compositions.