Reger: Piano Concerto, 6 Intermezzi

Reger’s Piano Concerto in F minor, first performed in 1910, is a challenge for any pianist—technically, Reger sets the bar extraordinarily high, but the true test here is whether its solo performer can cut through the surface complexity to reach the work’s essential beauty. Joseph Moog is the perfect pianist for the task. A musician of almost boundless virtuosic skill, he makes Reger’s music sing—from the opening Brahmsian movement with its wave upon wave of thrilling climaxes, to the Largo, its gorgeous chorale melodies making it surely one of the piano concerto repertoire’s most stunning hidden gems. Reger’s 6 Intermezzi are just as compelling—Moog brings out their orchestral grandeur and Chopin-inspired wit.