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FERNANDO OLIVA   23/4/2003	Subject: RAFF´S 6TH. SYMPHONY Message: Dears RAFFicionados: Last week, before my eastern holidays I had a great luck and receive a RAFF CD that I bought last month via Internet. I, finally, can discover a new Raff Symphony, in this case the 6th. The version is from Marco Polo (Schneider/Slovak). In this CD include three little orchestral pieces: "Jübel-Overture in C" (Good save the Queen... very British), "Overture to Dame Kobold" (Inspirated by spanish playwright Calderon de la Barca tale "La Dama Duende". Is true?)(Really, in literature I´m more close to Dostoiesvsky than Spanish Golden Age writers) and "Festmarsch" (very German and very romantic, I like very much this kind of pieces). Somebody wants give to me an expert opinion about this symphony? I´m waiting, and I´ll post my not expert opinion in next message.Thank you for anticipate, and excuse me for my bad english. Like an others works, I hope introduce this Symphony to my friends. Raff has been good opinions almost five persons, somebody, very impressed for "Lenore" or "Im Walde" Kind regards from RAFFcelona, in the sunny Spain. Fernando.
Mark   23/4/2003	RE: RAFF´S 6TH. SYMPHONY IP: Logged Message: Fernando, I'll be very interested in your opinion of the symphony. It seems to divide people strongly - some think it a weak work and others feel that it is underrated. Just a small point but Raff isn't quoting MY (!) national anthem (God save the Queen) in the Jubel Overture. It was actually the national anthem of many small German states too before the unification of Germany in 1866-70 and one of them was Nassau - the duchy which included his home of Wiesbaden. Cheers,
FERNANDO OLIVA   24/4/2003	RE: RAFF´S 6TH. SYMPHONY IP: Logged Message: Dear Mark, Thanks for anticipate for interesting about my opinion to Raff´s 6th. I´m only an afficionate, not an expert, because I speak about music feelings an impressions. Sincerely, I enjoyed very much with this work. Is tru is not the same jerarchy that "Lenore" or "Im Walde", but is better than "An das Vaterland" and "The Winter". For me, the best of the Symphony is the "Funeral March", with mixed flavours: Beethovenian (for the first theme solemnity) and Mendelssohnian. The worst is the final movement: I wait for some more exciting. I think that Raff tried in this work wrote his "Eroica", strongly enough than Beethoven, or his "Heldenleben", but less orchestral colour than Strauss (Richard). Today, my Raff Symphonies ranking is, in this order: 1st - "Lenore" - "Im Walde" (ex-aequo) 2nd - The 4th (very short distance to the 1st.) 3rd - "In den Alpen" 4th - The 6th. 5th - "In Autumn" 6th - "An das Vaterland" 7th - "In Winter" About "Jübel-Overture", I like very much this kind of compositions (excuse me, I´m not a purist). I enjoyed (and heared several times) the Concert-Overture. For example, I love too Brahm´s "Academic Festival", Elgar´s Marches of Pomp & Circunstance, Tchaikovsky´s "Slavonic March" or Glazunov "Cortège Solennel". Dame Kobold ("La Dama Duende") is a very short Overture, but I can recognize a little spanish air . Is it possible? Festmarsch is for me wonderful. Is a delight the contrast between the first thema with a great vitality and the second, romantic, sweet and very German. This second makes remember (for me) Strauss (Johann), Herzen, Zierer or Léhar. The final of the piece is very, very "Raff". I re-listened Piano Trio #1. You´re a reason is a great work, in special attention to the third movement, Massig langsam. Soon I´ll buy the Great First Violin Sonata (CPC). We´ll talk about it. Like forever, excuse me for my bad english. Kind regards from Barcelona, Fernando.
Jamie   24/4/2003	RE: RAFF´S 6TH. SYMPHONY IP: Logged Message: I'm one of those who feel the 6th is underrated. I've been fascinated by it since I first came across the orchestral score in the music library at Lincoln Center in NYC circa 1985. I didn't get to hear it until 3/95, when I purchased the Marco Polo recording. Its portentous title "Gelebt, gestrebt, gelitten, gestritten, gestorben, umworben" was unfortunately deleted by Raff prior to its publication. It turns out to be a work concerned with the struggles of an artist for recognition, his death, and ultimate posthumous glorification. This is admirably discussed in Carol Bevier's magnificent dissertation. The first movement opens with the symphony's motto theme in a gloomy d minor followed by a martial second theme and lyrical third, both in Bb major. After a short but stormy development section, the themes are recapitulated, the subsidiary ones in the expected D major. There follows an extended coda, almost a second development section, and a fiery conclusion true to the opening d minor key. The scherzo in Bb major is next, which I find one of Raff's more humorous movements. The gem of the symphony the funeral march in d minor that comes next. It is very moving, noble, and appropriately tragic. There is a wonderfully consoling second theme in Bb major that is followed by a fugato, the recapitulation of the march and the second theme now in d minor (combined with the march theme and the opening fanfare--Raff has the uncanny knack of inventing seemingly different sounding melodies which he then combines in double and even triple counterpoint, something he does in all four movements of this symphony). The finale starts in an ambiguous tonality which quickly turns into a brilliant D major. A standard sonata-form movement follows which is capped by the thrilling reprise of the work's opening motto combined with the finale's first theme in a triumphant D major. An exciting coda brings this glorious work to a close. One oddity about this work is that it's the only symphony I know of where both the first and last movements are in 3/4 time. We're overdue for a better recording than the Marco Polo, hopefully Hans Stadlmair will oblige us. As far as the fillers are concerned, I love the scintillating overture to Dame Kobold. It makes me very curous about the rest of the opera. I wonder how it compares to Benedetto Marcello. The other two overtures are pleasant but not in the same class as Dame Kobold.
Mark Thomas   30/4/2003	RE: RAFF´S 6TH. SYMPHONY IP: Logged Message: I've just learned that the next Tudor CD to be released is of the 6th. Symphony - coupled with the first commercial recording of the Hungarian Suite. As usual, it'll feature the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra under Hans Stadlmair. Cheers
luis de orueta   06/5/2003	RE: RAFF´S 6TH. SYMPHONY IP: Logged Message: I have just seen the 6th Symphony issue by Hans Stadlmair on JPC´s list of Raff´s available CD´s. Needless to say I´ve ordered one and can´t wait to hear it. (I am hoping for the best). Would also appreciate Mark´s comments. Cordiales saludos Luis P.S. Also noticed on the web a new italian CD recording of Raff´s suite for piano (I think Opus 90). When I asked for it, they answered that it should appear soon...
Mark Thomas   07/5/2003	RE: RAFF´S 6TH. SYMPHONY IP: Logged Message: I also have it on order, Luis, but it hasn't arrived yet. I've had an email from someone who has heard it and reckons that on this occasion Scheider's old version on Marco Polo is no worse than Stadlmair's. To quote him "the differences are not very significant in movements 1,2 and 4. IMHO, Stadlmair is way too fast in the slow movements, and at least in this section, Schneider has the measure of the music more than Stadlmair does. It's very telling that Schneider's much longer third movement doesn't drag, which in my book means that it fits the music." We shall see. I haven't heard what he thought of the Hungaraian Suite, which will be a premiere recording of course. Cheers