Although inspired by Brahms’s clarinet sonatas, those of Max Reger are stamped with the original thematic material, harmonic progressions, expressive dynamics and intricate phrasing that make him a distinctly 20th-century composer. The high spirited character of the first sonata contrasts with the second’s introverted elegance. Reger described his third as ‘very light and friendly’. A distinguished soloist and teacher, Janet Hilton is a professor at the Royal College of Music, London. Multiple prize-winner Jakob Fichert is an expert on Reger’s piano and chamber works.