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REGER – Choral Preludes (for Organ), Op.135a (selection), VOLUME 6 (three Chorales) – 5 CELLOS

Other Identification:
The interesting pieces of Max Reger “Dreißig kleine Choral Vorspiele zu den gebräuchlichsten Chorälen” Thirty Little Chorale Preludes on the most common chorales Op. 135a , were published in 1914 and dedicated to Hans von Ohlendorff. They serve a most practical purpose and make relatively few demands on organists (even less than his Op.67), for they were all conceived with comfortable technical limits . This was a new challenge in its own way because he was the composer of some of the most formidable organ music ever written!

However, these creations still preserve Reger’s particular characteristic of modulation and chromaticism , albeit on a reduced scale. He selected some the best known tunes of his day from the Lutheran hymnal , and most of them are still good organ chorales for use in Sunday church services by professional, semi professional and advanced amateur organists.

Please note that David Johnstone has also prepared EIGHT chorales from Max Reger’s Op.67, and grouped them for varying groupings of string instruments:
VOLUME 1 – Unusual Quartets of 2 Violas, Cello and Double Bass
VOLUME 2 – Unusual Quartets of Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass
VOLUME 3 – Cello Quintets (5 Cellos)
Individual CHORALE – Unusual Quartet of 2 Violins and 2 Cellos, or for Cello Quartet (4 Cellos)

Movements or sections:
Three Chorales

VOLUME 6 for FIVE CELLOS
Title: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr
Source: Altkirchlich 1539
English Translation: Glory to God alone in the highest
Original Reger numbering: 02
Key: G Major

Title: Von Himmel hoch, da komm ich her
Source: ( – )
English Translation: From heaven’s high, that is where I come from
Original Reger numbering: 24
Key: D Major

Title: Es ist das Heil kommen her (Sei Lob und Her
Source: (1523)
English Translation: Salvation has come to us Let there be praise and honour!)
Original Reger numbering: 07
Key: E b Major

Instrumentation:
QUINTET OF FIVE CELLOS
Arranged by David Johnstone

1 PDF for the whole volume; all cello parts and the original writing by Reger

NOTE: All volumes 1 to 5 are scored for quartets of FOUR cellos.

Approximate difficulty:
What is beautiful for cellists is that, unlike many of his other works, they are clear parts or voices, meaning that these transcriptions for four and occasional five cellos have been quite straightforward to produce. The first voice is almost entirely in treble clef though does not venture in the very high registers; the second voice nearly always in tenor clef (a marvellous way for intermediate cellists to become absolutely fluent in the reading of this clef!), and all other parts are in the bass clef.

Every part is equal in importance – the melodies, and the faster moving passage work are shared around all voices, changing from piece to piece. If these chorales are repeated (i.e., played twice) then the final ritenutos should only be conceived the second (or last) time. The keys are the same for cello ensemble as in the original.

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