Mannheim String Quartet, Claudius Tanski - Reger: Chamber Music, Vol. 4 (1998)

Good on Dabringhaus and Grimm for their fine series on this wonderful and unfairly neglected chamber music of Reger. The Piano Quartet in A minor Op. 133 is a lovely and expressive work, and would be a good place to start for anyone curious to sample such riches. This is music that feels quite large scale - similar in a way to Bruckner, in that Reger is in no hurry to say what he has to say, and it is best to just allow yourself to enter his sound-world and enjoy the journey wherever it might take you. This epic feeling however belies the fact that it is not a particularly long work at 36 minutes.

This piano quartet is Reger's second and is gentler than the stormy D minor first one (also in this series as Vol. 5, and is equally indispensable). Soaring melodies abound and there is nothing confusing or difficult in his arguement. The musicians play with all the lightness, skill, understatement, passion and intensity that this music requires.