Max Reger: Four Tone Poems after Böcklin; Romantic Suite Gävle Symphony Orchestra & Jaime Martín

• Max Reger (1873 - 1916): Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin, Op. 128:
• 1 Reger: Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin, Op. 128: I. The Hermit Fiddler (Der geigende Eremit) 09:28
• 2 Reger: Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin, Op. 128: II. In the Play of the Waves (Im Spiel der Wellen) 04:22
• 3 Reger: Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin, Op. 128: III. The Isle of the Dead (Die Toteninsel) 09:25
• 4 Reger: Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin, Op. 128: IV. Bacchanal 04:57
• Romantic Suite, Op. 125:
• 5 Reger: Romantic Suite, Op. 125: I. Notturno. Molto sostenuto 09:20
• 6 Reger: Romantic Suite, Op. 125: II. Scherzo. Vivace 08:01
• 7 Reger: Romantic Suite, Op. 125: III. Finale. Molto sostenuto 11:03
• Total Runtime 56:36

Info for Max Reger: Four Tone Poems after Böcklin; Romantic Suite

This new album by the Gavle Symphony Orchestra and conductor Jaime Martín includes two perhaps finest orchestral works by Max Reger (1873–1916) written towards the end of his life, the Four Tone Poems after Böcklin and the Romantic Suite, both sensous and poetic works suggesting a loose connection with Debussy.

Reger’s 150th anniversary of birth was celebrated in 2023. Yet, much of Reger’s music appears on concert programmes only very occasionally. During his own lifetime Reger was highly admired: Paul Hindemith described Reger as “the last giant of music”, and when Schoenberg founded his Society for Private Musical Performances in 1918, Max Reger, along with Debussy and Bartók, was one of the most frequently performed composers. Admiring Reger as an important innovator, Schoenberg promoted his music because “he still remains unfamiliar” and “I consider him a genius”. Reger’s Four Tone Poems after Böcklin and the Romantic Suite are sufficient to prove that Schoenberg was totally right.

Founded in 1912, the Gavle Symphony Orchestra has a long and exciting history, with a strong focus on the future. Since its inception, the Gavle Symphony Orchestra has played a significant role in the Swedish music scene and its 52 musicians are driven by an undeniable and heartfelt passion for music. The orchestra takes on a repertoire ranging from the baroque to the latest contemporary music with equal curiosity and dedication. Through a series of acclaimed recordings, the Gavle Symphony Orchestra has also brought many older Swedish composers into the limelight and given them well-deserved recognition. The orchestra regularly collaborates with renowned international artists such as Janine Jansen, Denis Kozhukhin, Gabriela Montero, Nemanja Radulovic, Lucas Debargue, Viktoria Mullova, Nicolas Altstaedt, Anne Sofie von Otter, Johan Dalene and many more, while past and current chief conductors include Petri Sakari, Robin Ticciati, Jaime Martin and Christian Reif. Gavle Symphony Orchestra has successfully toured in South Korea, China, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra since 2022, Spanish conductor Jaime Martín has also held the positions of Chief Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland (2019–2024), Principal Guest Conductor of the Spanish National Orchestra (2022–2024) and Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Gavle Symphony Orchestra (2013–2022). Having spent many years as a highly regarded flautist, Jaime turned to conducting full-time in 2013 and quickly became sought after at the highest level. His engagements include concerts with the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Dresden and Netherlands Philharmonics, the Sydney, Barcelona, Dallas, Colorado, Antwerp, New Zealand, Frankfurt and Swedish Radio Symphonies, and his conducting debut at the BBC Proms with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, whose Principal Guest Conductor position he took on from the 24/25 season. Jaime Martín is the Artistic Advisor of the Santander Festival, a founding member of the Orquestra de Cadaqués, and Fellow of the Royal College of Music, London.

Gävle Symphony Orchestra
Jaime Martín, director

The Gävle Symphony Orchestra
is one of the oldest in Sweden, and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012. The conductor and composer Ruben Liljefors was the orchestra’s first artistic director, with 25 musicians at his disposal. Over the years, the orchestra has grown to 52 full-time members. Based chiefly at the Gävle Concert Hall, the orchestra tours regularly, both in its home province and elsewhere in Sweden, Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. Since its inception, the Gävle Symphony Orchestra has had a succession of distinguished principal conductors, including Stig Westerberg, Rainer Miedel, Göran W. Nilson, Hannu Koivula, Carlos Spierer, Petri Sakari and Robin Ticciati. The Spanish conductor Jaime Martín has been the orchestra’s principal conductor and artistic leader since 2013. Since 1998 the orchestra’s home has been the Gävle Concert Hall, regarded as one of Sweden’s best, where the excellent acoustics are preferred by the orchestra, guest artists and ensembles making recordings. The orchestra’s discography lists recordings of works by composers Bo Linde, Wilhelm Stenhammar, Franz Berwald, Hugo Alfvén, Edvard Grieg, Dmitry Shostakovich, Carl Nielsen and Sven-David Sandström.

Jaime Martín
has risen quickly to international acclaim as a conductor following his prominent career as a flautist. Recently announced as Music Director Designate of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, he begins his tenure in September 2019. In 2013, he became Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Gävle Symphony Orchestra. He is also Chief Conductor of Orquestra de Cadaqués and Artistic Director of the Santander International Festival.

Upcoming debuts include subscription performances with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony and Gulbenkian orchestras. He will also bring the Gavle Symphony Orchestra to the Concertgebouw and tour throughout Switzerland with the Orquestra de Cadaqués.

Highlights of Martín’s 17/18 season included the opening of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra season with Joshua Bell as soloist, debuts with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Bilbao Symphony, Essen Philharmonic and Bordeaux orchestras, and returns to the New Zealand Symphony, RTE Symphony and Swedish Radio Symphony orchestras.

Since turning to conducting only five years ago, he has worked with an impressive list of orchestras including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfònica de Barcelona, Philharmonia, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Queensland Symphony, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, RTVE Orchestra in Madrid, Orchestre National du Capitol de Toulouse, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, London Mozart Players, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Beijing Symphony Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Ulster Orchestra and Winterthur Orchestra.

Martín made his operatic debut conducting The Magic Flute at El Escorial Madrid and San Sebastian Festival in August 2012. He made his debut at the English National Opera in February 2013 conducting The Barber of Seville and returned in autumn 2014 for The Marriage of Figaro.

Martín’s recordings include the Brahms Serenades with the Gävle Symphony Orchestra for Ondine as well as Songs of Destiny, a recording of Brahms choral works with the Gävle Symphony and Eric Ericson choir. He has also recorded Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, Montsalvatge’s Petita Suite Burlesca, Halffter’s Sinfonietta and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 with Orquestra de Cadaqués. In 2015 he recorded James Horner’s last symphonic work; “Collages” for four horns and orchestra.

Solo recordings include Mozart concertos with Sir Neville Marriner, a premiere recording of the Sinfonietta Concerto for Flute and Orchestra written for him by Xavier Montsalvatge and conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, Bach works for flute, violin, and piano with Murray Perahia and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields for Sony, and Mozart’s flute quartet for EMI.

Born in Santander, Spain, Jaime Martín studied with Antonio Arias in Madrid and with Paul Verhey in The Hague, Holland.

Booklet for Max Reger: Four Tone Poems after Böcklin; Romantic Suite