"Welzel uses all his artistry and knowledge of the instrument to create perfect miniatures by the judicious and intelligent choice of the registration employed for each work ... This is a well planned and very interesting recital of little known, if known at all to the general public, music for organ by one of the most prolific and profound composers who ever wrote for the instrument. Welzel plays very well indeed. As already noted his choice of registration has been intelligently thought out and his performances are perfect for the music. Naxos’s sound captures the acoustic of the Trier Cathedral perfectly; there is a full five and a half second reverberation at the end of the Introduction and Passacaglia—a wonderful sound. Naxos is doing us a real favour by recording the organ music of Reger for it is music which cannot, and should not, be ignored." (Bob Briggs)
American Record Guide (September/Oktober 2008):
"The instrument for this volume is the 1974 Klais organ at Trier Cathedral ... This instrument has the intense ferocity of German romantic organs, but with more brilliance and clarity than most 19th-Century instruments ... Martin Welzel's performances here are authoritative and coherent." (William Gatens)
Fono Forum (September 2008):
"Die Klais-Orgel im Trierer Dom, ebenso jung wie die Passauerin, klingt auch brilliant, aber eleganter und wendiger. Zwar ist auch sie kein romantisches Instrument, doch beweist Martin Welzel in den Folgen 6 und 8 im Umgang mit ihren Klängen seinen Sinn für sinfonisches Format und Zusammenhang großer Werke wie der Fantasien über "Ein feste Burg" und "Alle Menschen müssen sterben". Respekt nötigt seine Interpretation der Variationen fis-Moll op. 73 ab: Das schwierige Großwerk erklingt in seltener klanglicher und agogischer Geschlossenheit, der Spannungsbogen bricht niemals ein." (Friedrich Sprondel)
Ritmo (September 2008):
"La interpretación de esta magistral y dificilisima música por parte del organista Martín Welzel funciona a la perfección. Resulta bastante complicado grabar esta música de textura tan densa y que resulte todo claro y díafano para el oyente. Pues bien, Welzel lo consigue, y no sólo esto, además emociona en los pasajes más poéticos de la partitura y abruma en los momentos grandiosos en los que el órgano suena a todo pulmón." (I. J.)
Fono Forum (August 2006):
"Krönung seiner hörenswerten CD sind Introduktion, Variationen und Fuge op. 73, vielleicht Regers wichtigster Beitrag zur Orgelliteratur. Welzel verfügt an der Klais-Orgel im Trierer Dom über einen virtuosen, ja stürmischen Zugriff ebenso wie über viel Gelassenheit, dort, wo sie angebracht ist. Nicht nur in op. 73, auch in den sechs Trios op. 47 atmet die Musik unter Welzels Händen wunderbar frei." (Michael Gassmann)
MusicWeb International (Januar 2006):
"The Johannes Klais organ proves itself once again ideally suited to this repertoire, with Martin Welzel ably demonstrating the huge dynamic range and expressive potential of this instrument. Using Reger’s musical exploration as a medium for such an exercise I have been pleasantly surprised by the variety of the music on this disc. I admit to being more of a French organ listener and less of a fan of the sequential, chromatic build-ups which Reger often employs, but this recording will sit well next to my Widors, Francks and Viernes, and is unreservedly recommended."(Dominy Clements)
