Comments on: Recording Reger – soon it’s over :)

By: Alban

Alban — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 23:59:08 +0000

Don’t agree: For example, with the Schumann Concerto, the tempo makes tons of sense if you would just sing it. Unfortunately it doesn’t really work with the cello plus orchestra, but I don’t think, it’s a broken metronome. With Reger it’s different, I think the guy was just really crazy. What speed I arrived at for the Reger? Don’t know, will have to wait for the recording… Rather fast though, took my time for the harmonics then 🙂

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 14:04:37 +0000

Tempus fugit. Tempi? fuggitaboutit. I never bothered to check Reger’s tempo markings. Most composers have broken metronomes. Do you try to play Schumann’s or Beethoven’s tempo markings? At best, they can give you a relative idea. To me, the last movement of Reger 3 goes at 1/8 = 92, but I can’t play the last variation reliably at that tempo. My edition of Reger says 1/8 = 72. I wouldn’t want to play so slow. What tempo did you arrive at?

By: Alban

Alban — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 21:34:07 +0000

Dear Bob, sorry, sorry for being so late, but I have been busy with myspace 🙂 very addictive dangerous place, and if not playing with Janos, I was in this part of the cyberworld…
Yes, the last movement of the 3rd Reger-Suite is rather awful and dangerous. I actually played it in a little dress rehearsal concert the night before the recording, and it worked, but I think I got lucky. Well, and the problem is, the speed should be faster than what Reger writes – this is sooo slow one would get infinitely bored by listening. I know that I took not even 10 minutes for the entire first Suite, and the last one about 15 minutes, with all repeats. No, I am not bragging, I am just describing that I believe Reger needs some help with his outpoors of cello-music, and even though speed ain’t everything, it does help his music a lot to be very flexible with the tempos.
Best wishes from Berlin, see you hopefully soon,
Yours Alban

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 18:34:49 +0000

The last movement of Reger 3 is such a bitch. Again, I ask you, why does he change such insignificant details between otherwise verbatim repeats? But the memorization is the least of it. I’ve had memorized, more or less, for a month now and I still can’t play it at tempo. Maybe I never will. I can’t wait to hear your recording.