Presented at the Grieg Conference in Berlin May 13, 2009
Øyvin Dybsand, Norway
Assistant Professor, Department of Musicology
University of Oslo
Traces of Delicate Lyricism among “Sausages, Kohlrabi Stew and Plum Pudding”? On possible Grieg-influences in Max Reger’s Chamber music
Max Reger (1873–1916) is not a frequent name in the Grieg literature. The reasons why are many. Firstly, Reger, who was practically unknown as a composer before 1904, belongs to the generation after Grieg and hence he was never considered likely to have given any kind of influence on Grieg and his music. Secondly, in Norway Reger was never to be considered as a “big name” in music history. Why then should Norwegian scholars take the trouble to search for “Griegian” influences in his music, as they have done in the music of Debussy, Ravel and Bartók? Last not least: Grieg himself seems to have rejected Reger‘s music totally.
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Oyvin Dybsand paper 2009