The Worcester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is hosting a festival Nov. 3-5, 2023 to celebrate the 150th birthday of German composer Max Reger. In his brief 43 years Reger expanded the compositional language for the organ, leaving a profound portfolio of works for generations to come. Recitals and lectures are centered in Worcester and open to all.
WELCOME TO WORCESTER
The Pipe Organ Capital of New England
DAILY NEWS – REGER FESTIVAL 150
44-page full-color Commemorative Program Book for sale – contains a multitude of Reger information and pipe organs in Worcester
Donate to the Worcester Chapter Scholarship Fund
FRIDAY NOV 3
Welcome to Worcester! There is a fine weather forecast for the weekend. It will be somewhat windy today, Friday.
6:45 PM Pre-concert talk by Christopher Anderson in the All Saints Sanctuary.
7:30 PM Welcome and Concert to follow
Parking in church lot, and neighboring school lots. Please see details at https://allsaintsw.org/parking
Carole Terry Program (PDF) (works by: Brahms, Schumann, Rheinberger, Mendelssohn, and Reger)
SATURDAY NOV 4
Mid 50s today, occasional mild breeze, mostly overcast. stable weather for well tuned organ chambers!
Arrive early at Pakachoag Church and there will be coffee and homemade treats starting at 8:30, a gift of the church.
Bring your organ shoes (and score) to try the Dobson organ during lunch time.
FREE TIME 3:30 – until 7:30 concert
DINE in some of the fine restaurants of Worcester. https://reger150.org/about/accommodations-restaurants/
CONCERT at Wesley United Methodist Church begins at 7:30 PM. Doors open 6:45 PM.
See CONCERTS page Saturday section for repertoire and musician listing
Parking is allowed on the left side of Main Street (one way in front of the church) for this evening event.
Parking is available on Harvard Street behind the church, parallel to Main St. The church lot is accessible from State Street (between the Unitarian Church and Wesley).
SUNDAY NOV 5 EASTERN STANDARD TIME FALL CHANGE (One of many time change hymns CWM Rhondda)
Welcome to DAY 3 of the Reger Festival 150!
Note: For those who have purchased the Worcester Organ Book, please pick up the Errata sheet replacement page (new as of 11/4/23) at the welcome table.
We hope to see you at some of these final events:
10:25 AM prelude (Service begins at 10:30) William Ness, guest organist at First Unitarian Church, 90 Main Street (across from Wesley where the concert was Saturday night), playing all Reger for the service music. Aeolian-Skinner organ, American Classic/Donald Gillett, 4 manuals.
(12:45) 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Hook Organ Demonstration & Chamber Tour at Mechanics Hall. 24 people will be admitted for chamber tours, and up to 26 more can enjoy the demonstration from the stage.
Be at the front door of Mechanics Hall at 12:45 PM. (321 Main Street, Worcester)
DOORS LOCKED AT 1PM (This is a private event just for the Reger Festival)
4:00 PM Majestic Organ Works of Max Reger, First Baptist Church, 111 Park Avenue, Worcester. Peter Sykes, organist. Closing reception to follow.
Peter Sykes Program PDF (Reger organ works 1901-1915)
The Worcester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is hosting a festival Nov. 3-5, 2023 to celebrate the 150th birthday of German composer Max Reger. In his brief 43 years, Reger expanded the compositional language for the organ, leaving a profound portfolio of works for generations to come. Recitals and lectures are centered in Worcester and open to all.
FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
This festival hopes to bring to light the massive contributions Reger made to organ literature and its performance. Max Reger became a musician/composer at an early age much like Bach, Mozart, and Mendelssohn, but never achieved the same status as a major composer that these other child prodigies did. To understand Reger more fully is the main goal of this festival. We will do this by examining his stylistic mannerisms in the context of a time where atonality was emerging from Schönberg who was quoted as saying that Reger represented ‘a new technique’ of change looking forward. It is our hope you will be inspired and resolved to make this composer an essential part of your life.
Marjorie Ness and William Ness, Artistic Directors
FESTIVAL DETAILS – NOV 3-5, 2023
(Concerts are free, open seating)
CAROLE TERRY in concert BIO See more details on CONCERTS PAGE
FRIDAY, Nov 3 – 7:30 pm
Pre-concert talk: Christopher Anderson 6:45pm
All Saints Church, Worcester SPECS
REGER LECTURES Pakachoag Church, Auburn SPECS
SATURDAY, Nov 4
Christopher Anderson BIO ACADEMIC DETAILS
9 AM “… from his most conciliatory side …”
Some Remarks on Max Reger’s Twelve Pieces op. 59
Carole Terry BIO
11:00 AM Max Reger’s Opus 67
Chorale Preludes: Compositional forms and liturgical use
Christopher Anderson
1:30 PM
Ludus tonalis: Allusion in the Music of Max Reger
REGER WORKS FOR ORGAN & INSTRUMENTS
SATURDAY, Nov 4 – 7:30 pm SEE NOTE ABOUT PARKING AT TOP OF THIS PAGE
Featuring: 12 Stücke Op. 59
Wesley United Methodist Church, Worcester SPECS
HOOK ORGAN TOUR/DEMONSTRATION
SUNDAY, Nov 5 – 1:00 pm GATHER 12:45pm at 321 Main St entrance
– FIRST 24 people admitted
Leonardo Ciampa, host; Will Sherwood, chamber tours
Mechanics Hall, Worcester SPECS
PETER SYKES in concert BIO
SUNDAY, Nov 5 – Concert 4:00 pm
Closing Reception, following
First Baptist Church, Worcester SPECS
UNIQUE ASPECTS OF THE FESTIVAL
- Experiencing phenomenal compositions that are rarely heard, requiring virtuoso technique.
- Reger brings the symphony to the organ in style and scope of composition.
- Understanding more completely the legacy of the late nineteenth century through Reger’s voice.
- Finding in Reger a composer who synthesizes the nineteenth century style at several levels of technical ability.