New Oxford Organ Method

Chapter 16
Chorale Prelude on
‘Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren’
Max Reger (1873–1916)
for online perusal only
Max Reger’s exultant chorale prelude on Lobe den Herren (‘Praise to the Lord’) combines legato techniques
and has frequent registration changes. Reger was a late-Romantic German composer, renowned for his lush,
chromatic style.
To establish G major, the key of Lobe den Herren, draw a Great Principal 8ʹ and Great to Pedal, then play
this exercise based on the broken chord of the dominant seventh chord in G major. Use alternate toes unless
otherwise indicated:
G major dominant seventh, feet, including toe-to-toe substitution, legato touch
?#
4
?#
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ ˙
m
m m m
˙ ˙ ˙
m m
Registering graded dynamics with stops
m
m˙ ˙ m
˙
m
˙
m m m
m
˙
m
m
w
The dynamic range of Reger’s registration scheme consists of four levels, from f through più f to sempre più
f, and finally fff. We will call these Levels 1 to 4:
Level 1: f
Level 2: più f
Level 3: sempre più f
Level 4: fff
Choose stops for these four levels in reverse order, starting with the loudest, and ensuring that the difference
between adjacent levels is noticeable but not extreme. Your hands will play on the Great throughout. Begin
by coupling Swell to Great, Swell to Pedal, and Great to Pedal. Check the Swell pedal is open.