Opinions about Reger’s music tend to be polarised between admirers and detractors. The latter group would say of him, as Emperor Joseph II famously said of Mozart, that he wrote too many notes. Even in this new century the complexity of his scores still presents an awesome challenge to performers and listeners alike. I feel, though, that the rewards are immense, and I would say that Reger is as great a composer as Liszt. His radical, eclectic approach took organ music to new dimensions, and he fully deserves a whole CD to himself. He’s well served here by an inspired choice of player, instrument and venue.
Hauk’s performances are amazingly virtuosic; he brings clarity of rhythm and articulation to the faster passages and a serene poetry to the quieter moments. He plays the spectacular Klais organ of lngolstadt Minster, which must be one of the best instruments in Europe. Its brilliant tutti, combined with a 12-second reverberation, does full justice to Reger’s epic climaxes, and there are some ravishing colours to be heard in the softer sections. As resident organist, Hauk knows this instrument intimately, and he exploits all the available colours and dynamics with complete mastery.
Guild’s fine recording stops the reverberation from becoming excessive, and at the same time it captures the organ’s full dynamic range. The CD comes with an excellent booklet from Hauk himself, and whatever your views on Reger I can unreservedly recommend this disc as an overwhelming and uplifting experience.'