The Seven Pieces for Organ, Op. 145, were written in the winter of 1915 and early 1916. The first of the set is in memory of those who had fallen in the war in 1914 and 1915, Trauerode (Mourning Ode). The opening, with repeated injunctions for very dark colouring, leads eventually through the darkness to the light of peace and resignation expressed in the chorale Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan (What God does, that is well done).

Dankpsalm (Psalm of Thanks) is dedicated to the German people. It starts with the brilliance of a toccata, but a more meditative, darker passage intervenes before the introduction of the same chorale, now with added triplet accompanying figuration. This returns before the music moves gently forward to a second chorale, Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren (Praise to the Lord, the mighty King of Honour).

Weihnachten (Christmas), the third of the pieces, its theme reflecting the improvisations that formed part of Reger's organ concert repertoire at the time, has a slow and inevitably chromatic introduction, followed by the Christmas Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen (There came a ship, laden).

Material derived from this provides the basis of an episode, ending with a darkening of colour before the entry of the chorale melody Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her (From Heaven on high I come here), through which Stille Nacht (Silent Night) emerges fragmentarily. Passion offers a piece of greater solemnity, prefiguring the chorale Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen (Beloved Jesus, how have you offended), with its characteristic falling third.

Ostern (Easter) offers an immediate contrast, following precedent in deriving elements of its opening passage from the chorale that is later introduced, Auferstanden, auferstanden (He is risen), proclaimed in a bold D major.

The sixth piece, Pfingsten (Whit), makes its gradual and chromatic approach to the chorale Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott (Come, Holy Ghost, Lord God), which eventually appears, marked ppp dolcissimo but mounting to a final climax.

The set of pieces ends with Siegesfeier (Victory Celebration) marked Grave and again including elements of toccata figuration. The opening leads in appropriate triumph to Nun danket alle Gott (Now thank we all our God), its verses separated by celebratory interventions.

Finally Deutschland, Deutschland über alles (Germany, Germany, over all) appears in the pedals and then in the upper part to seal emphatically the victory.

Writer: Keith Anderson