Max Reger (1873-1916) was a German composer, pianist, organist, conductor and academic teacher. He is best known for his compositions for piano, organ, and orchestra, which are notable for their technical complexity and virtuosity.

Reger was born in Brand, Bavaria. He received his formal training at the Munich Conservatory, where he studied with Joseph Rheinberger and later became a professor.

He wrote an enormous amount of music in just over 25 years, nearly always in abstract forms. His work was well known in Germany during his lifetime and many of his works are fugues or in variation form, including the Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart based on the opening theme of Mozart’s Piano Sonata in A major, K. 331. Reger wrote a large amount of music for organ, the most popular being the Benedictus from the collection Op. 59 and his Fantasy and Fugue on BACH, Op. 46. Reger recorded some of his works on the Welte Philharmonic organ, including excerpts from 52 Chorale Preludes, Op. 67. He also composed various secular organ works, such as the Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue, Op. 127, which was dedicated to Straube.

He died in 1916 at the age of 43.