Collection and Archive

At the time of its founding, the MRI held no archival or financial resources. Except for what was at first a very sparse income of royalties, the institute did not inherit a single manuscript or other Regeriana after Elsa Reger's death. Thanks of extensive research yet many of the manuscripts have come to light and have been procured for the institute, contributing to a growing number of acquisitions. This has resulted in the construction of a materially and musicologically valuable collection which documents the entire life and work of the composer.

The archive of the MRI is open to all who are interested and is used by scholars and artists from throughout world.
Through the increased esteem of Reger - and therefore of his autograph manuscripts - donations are urgently required for the further expansion of the collection.

• Music autographs
  About one quarter of the works counting up to op. 146 and furthermore numerous works without opus number, arrangements processing etc. are owned by the MRI - photoprints are at the visitors' disposal at any time for inspection. Works of all genres and periods are to be found.
  List of the music autographs
• Correspondence / Writings
  Approx. 2,500 items in Reger's hand, amongst them the article "Hugo Wolfs kuenstlerischer Nachlass" as well as correspondence with numerous addressees, amongst them publishers, concert agencies, friends and interpreters, transcriptions of originals that have disappeared today as well as correspondence by Elsa Reger and other persons from Reger's vicinity. Currently a Catalogue of Reger letters (Reger-Briefe-Verzeichnis, RBV) is being prepared.
• Photographs, paintings, drawings, caricatures, programmes, concert diaries, miscellaneous documents and memorabilia of most different kind
• Reger's published music in first and later editions
• International literature on Reger
• CDs, records and tapes, as well as Welte music rolls with Reger performing his own piano and organ music
• Location index of Reger's autographs
  (especially of the important collections at Meiningen, Weiden, Vienna, Munich, London and Berlin) as well as photoprints and fiches of most music manuscripts and letters not in the possession of the MRI