Home
Resources

 

 

 

 

 

Raff in 1856
Raff in 1856

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raff in the 1870s
Raff in the 1870s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raff
Raff in the 1870s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raff in later life
Raff in later life

Books

Catalogue of music composed by Joachim Raff
This new definitive catalogue of Raff's compositions has been published by the Joachim Raff Society. It is now available in convenient as a download in PDF format for trouble-free viewing and printing. It has been compiled by Mark Thomas from the only extant catalogue of Raff’s works – the Chronologish-systematisches Verzeichnis der Werke Joachim Raff’s published in 1888. Combining the original's movement-by-movement thoroughness with up to date information, Raff's 300+ original compositions, arrangements and transcriptions are catalogued in a comprehensive, clear and attractive manner, making it a reference work which is a pleasure to use.

The Symphonic Repertoire Volume IIIA
In this part of his sixth volume magnum opus, Professor A Peter Brown looks at the European symphony in Germany and Scandinavia during the 19th. century, but excluding Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Bruckner and Mahler. Brown does not attempt a comprehensive survey, naming every kleinmaster, but instead concentrates of those whom he regards as the most significant contributors to the symphonic repertoire: nine from Germany (including Berlioz!), a couple each from Norway and Sweden, three from Denmark and Sibelius from Finland. Of these 17, only Spohr has more pages devoted to him than does Raff, the discussion of whose 11 symphonies covers 112 pages. As well as a general survey of Raff's life and career and a summing up of his achievement and significance as a symphonist, each work is looked at in detail. Using contemporary accounts as well as subsequent musicological research, Brown describes each symphony's genesis and its critical reception, surveys its harmonic and structural architecture with the aid of copious charts and gives a movement by movement narrative description of the music, illustrated by several short score examples. A very important contribution to the Raff literature.

Vergessene Symphonik? ( Forgotten Symphonists?)
In his book "Forgotten Symphonists? Studies on Joachim Raff, Carl Reinecke and the Imitation question" Matthias Weigandt discusses in fascinating detail Raff's symphonies nos.4,5 and 9, together with Reinecke's 1st. symphony. The book reviews the art of the symphony between 1850 and 1890 and in particular addresses the accusation of a lack of originality in Raff's symphonic music. This work has proved so popular that it is now offered at a new, lower price! In German.

Joseph Joachim Raff (1822-1882)
In his monograph "Joseph Joachim Raff (1822-1882)" Markus Römer offers a succinct outline of Raff's life with copious extracts from the writings of Raff's contemporaries. There is a short review of Raff's approach to composing and an extensive bibliography and literary reference. In German.

The program symphonies of Joseph Joachim Raff
Carol Bevier's extensive dissertation describes all Raff's programmatic symphonies in detail together with a fascinating review of Raff's life and general compositional style. A major, if flawed, piece of work.

The Wellsprings of Neo-Classicism in Music
A comprehensive doctoral thesis which surveys the rise of the Suite and Serenade in romantic music. The significance of Raff's piano and orchestral suites in the forefront of this trend is discussed in some detail.

Edward MacDowell, Arthur P Schmidt and the Shakespeare Overtures of Joachim Raff
E Douglas Bomberger's article in Notes v54 (September 1997) traces the fascinating exchange of letters between MacDowell and Raff's widow and daughter to arrange publication of Raff's Shakespeare Overtures.

Maria Stuart, opus 172: A song cycle by Joseph Joachim Raff based on the poetry of Mary Queen of Scots
Molly Johnson's well researched and readable monograph describes the background and composition of one of Raff's best known vocal works, the Maria Stuart cycle of songs. Each song is analysed with copius musical examples.

Franz Liszt. The Weimar Years 1848-1861
In the second volume of his authoritative three volume life of Liszt, Alan Walker makes extensive reference to Raff's life with Liszt in Weimar and devotes a whole chapter to "The Raff Case" - discussing to what extent Raff shared authorship of Liszt's Symphonic Poems and Piano Concertos.

Analecta Lisztiana I: Liszt & His World
This book, publishing the proceedings of an International Liszt Conferance, contains an extensive paper by James Deaville entitled "A Daily Dairy of the Weimar Dream: Joachim Raff's Unpublished Letters to Doris Genast 1852-1856". Raff's previously unpublished letters to his fiancée throw light on his later years in Weimar, his attitude towards Liszt and generally chronicle Liszt's circle there.

Amanuensis or Author? The Liszt-Raff Collaboration Revisited
Paul A Bertagnolli's fascinating article traces the process by which Raff's original orchestration of Liszt's symphonic poem Prometheus was transformed by Liszt into the work we know today. Through copius reference to the surviving manuscripts, Bertagnolli seeks to prove that Raff had no lasting influence on Liszt's compositional process.

Other Liszt-related studies
The musicological literature available on Liszt is very extensive and Raff is frequently mentioned in studies which centre on the thorny question of the orchestration of those of Liszt's works with which he helped to prepare performing versions. Most are avilable for download through JSTOR. Amongst them are:

More reading
Most of these publications have extensive bibliographies listing original source material - for a summary of the major sources see the Historical sources page.

© 1999-2009 Joachim Raff Society. All rights reserved.