Three chorale fantasias, Op. 52, are chorale fantasias for organ by Max Reger. He composed the fantasias on three chorales in September 1900: Phantasie über den Choral "Alle Menschen müssen sterben", Phantasie über den Choral "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" and Phantasie über den Choral "Halleluja! Gott zu loben bleibe meine Seelenfreud". They were all first performed individually by Reger's friend Karl Straube, and were first published by Breitkopf & Härtel. Straube and others regarded especially No. 2 highly, Straube called it "großartigste Leistung".
No. 1: "Sr. Hochwürden Herrn Professor Dr. Julius Smend hochachtungsvollst zugeeignet"
No. 2: "Meinem Freunde Karl Straube in herzlichster Dankbarkeit zugeeignet"
No. 3: "Herrn Friedrich L. Schnackenberg hochachtungsvollst zugeeignet"
No. 1 was first performed by Karl Straube in the summer of 1901 at the Sauer organ of the in Wesel. No. 2 was first performed by Straube at that organ on 28 April 1901, and repeated on 12 May 1901 at the in Berlin. No. 3 was first performed by Straube on 9 November 1901 at the Walcker organ of the Kaim-Saal in Munich. The duration is given as 16–17 min. for No. 1, 17–19 min. for No. 2, 15–17 min for No. 3.
No. 1
The text of the chorale "Alle Menschen müssen sterben" was written by Johann Georg Albinus in 1652. The melody was probably composed by : The fantasia is structured in six sections, based on four of the seven stanzas of the hymn.
Introduzione
Strophe I "Alle Menschen müssen sterben"
Interlude
Strophe III "Jesus ist für mich gestorben"
Strophe VI "O Jerusalem, du schöne"
Strophe VII "Ach, ich habe schon erblicket"
Unlike other chorale fantasias, this work ends not with a fugue. I alternates stanzas with relation to the chorale tune with free stanzas. The introduction presents several motifs, including a large leap downward as a "Todesmotiv", and a downward sequence of chords as an "Auferstehungsmotiv". Reger wrote a copy for Straube and added the dedication: "Recht inniges Vergnügen, lieber Carl! Im Falle es beim Anhören dieses 'Verbrechens' Todte geben sollte, übernehme ich die Beerdigungskosten. Besten Gruß Dein alter Organiste Max Reger".
No. 2
The fantasia is based on Philipp Nicolai's hymn in three stanzas "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme", published in 1599. Reger uses the last lines as they still appeared in the Evangelisches Kirchengesangbuch of 1950: The fantasia is structured in four parts, an introduction and one four each stanza, the last one as a fugue:
Introduzione
Strophe I "Wachet auf! ruft uns die Stimme"
Strophe II "Zion hört die Wächter singen"
Fuge und Strophe III "Gloria sei dir gesungen"
The introduction is marked grave assai. Form and rhythm of the beginning, marked pppp, appear undecided. The sombre atmosphere is interrupted only by two forceful entries which have been characterized as "niedersausende Blitze". Martin Weyer regarded the section as contrasting quiet night and commencing judgement". The chorale tune appears first in measure 11, in "sehr lichte Registrierung". The lines of the poem are interrupted by interludes. Reger establishes a contrast of "himmlische Herrlichkeit" and "irdische Finsternis". Straube notes:
No. 3
The text of the chorale "Halleluja! Gott zu loben" was written by as a paraphrase of Psalm 146. The melody is by Johann Georg Bätzler. The fantasie is structured in an introduction, marked vivace assai – vivacissimo, and seven chorale stanzas, concluded by a coda:
