Symphony No.2 op.140
Raff's Second Symphony is one of his freshest and most ingratiating creations. Written in 1866 it was soon overshadowed by the huge international success of the Im Walde and Lenore Symphonies. Written on a smaller scale than they or its mighty five-movement predecessor and lacking the programme's attached to most of Raff's exercises in the form, the Second does not deserve its neglect. It features a typically powerful opening movement, middle movements in which sombre religiosity is replaced by puckish good humour and a spirited, joyous finale. John White's masterly MIDI transcription faithfully preserves the winning character of this rewarding work.

I.Allegro (sym2_1.mid 224KB)

II. Andante con moto (sym2_2.mid 114KB)

III.Allegro vivace (sym2_3.mid 109KB)

IV. Andante maestoso - Allegro con spirito (sym2_4.mid 208KB)

Symphony No.3 Im Walde op.153
John White has excelled himself with this stunning MIDI realisation of one of Raff's most successful symphonic creations. Im Walde is a true programme symphony and in it Raff portrays a detailed written description of the sights and sounds experienced by a traveller in the German forest. The work enjoyed enormous success throughout Europe and the USA from the moment it was premiered in 1870 and was still being played long after most of Raff's music had been forgotten.

I. In the Daytime. Impressions and Feelings - Allegro (sym3_1.mid 190KB)

II. In the Twilight. A: Dreaming - Largo (sym3_2.mid 49KB)

III. In the Twilight. B: Dance of the Dryads - Allegro assai (sym3_3.mid 91KB)

IV. At Night. The living stillness of night in the Forest. Arrival and departure of the Wild Hunt, with Frau Holle and Wotan. Daybreak - Allegro (sym3_4.mid 407KB)

Symphony No.5 Lenore op.177
Reckoned by many of his contemporaries to be his greatest composition, Raff's Lenore symphony is a work on an epic scale. It illustrates Bürger's gothic ballad recounting the story of the eponymous woman who curses God after her lover fails to return from the war, and suffers a dreadful fate in consequence. The first three movements set the scene for finale in which Raff illustrartes in music Bürger's tale. Once again John White has captured the symphony's epic scale and imaginative orchestration in a masterly MIDI realisation.

I. Love's bliss I - Allegro (sym5_1.mid 217KB)

II. Love bliss II - Andante quasi larghetto (sym5_2.mid 71KB)

III. Parting - Marsch Tempo - Agitato (sym5_3.mid 199KB)

IV. Reunited in death, Introduction and ballad (after G Bürger's 'Lenore) - Allegro (sym5_4.mid 193KB)

Sinfonietta op.188
The good natured Sinfonietta for ten wind instruments is unique in Raff's oeuvre but it was the precursor of similar works by later composers. Mike Wiering's MIDI versions of all four movements bring out the work's puckish charm.

I. Allegro (s_etta.mid - 78KB)

II. Allegro molto (s_etta2.mid - 49KB)

III. Larghetto (s_etta3.mid - 37KB)

IV. Vivace (s_etta4.mid - 55KB)

Piano Quintet in A minor op.107
Raff called his Piano Quintet a Grand Quintuor and grand it certainly is. In four symphonically conceived movements, the Quintet was described by Hans von Bülow as "the most remarkable work in the field of chamber music since Beethoven". It was written in 1862 and is one of the finest chamber compositions of its creator. John White's sensitive and carefully constructed MIDI realisation brings out Raff's masterly integration of the five voices.

I. Allegro moderato assai (pno_qt_1.mid 96KB)

II. Allegro vivace, quasi presto (pno_qt_2.mid 55KB)

III. Andante, quasi larghetto mosso (pno_qt_3.mid 60KB)

IV. Allegro brioso, patetico (pno_qt_4.mid 902KB)

String Quartet No.7 op.192 no.2 Die schöne Müllerin
The unusual programmatic String Quartet No.7 became one it's creator's most successful compositions. The second movement's perpetuum mobile picture of the Mill's water wheel was arranged for a variety of chamber and salon ensembles, such was the demand for this clever little piece. John White's MIDI realisation of the works' six movements is a tour de force.

I. Der Jüngling (The Youth) - Allegretto (qt7_1.mid 41KB)

II. Die Mühle (The Mill)- Allegro (qt7_2.mid 20KB)

III. Die Müllerin (The Miller Maiden) - Andante quasi allegretto (qt7_3.mid 31KB)

IV. Unruhe (Uneasyness) - Allegro (qt7_4.mid 22KB)

V. Erklärung (Declaration) - Andantino quasi allegretto (qt7_5.mid 17KB)

VI. Zum Polterabend (Wedding Eve Celebrations) - Vivace (qt7_6.mid 51KB)

Frühlingsjubel op.198 No.1
Frühlingsjubel (Spring Cheer) is the first of Raff's set of Ten Songs for Mixed Choir, which were published in 1875. This joyful and very tuneful evocation of Spring is captured in this MIDI rendition by Mark Thomas from a Sibelius score by Douglas Walczak.

op.198 No.1 (f_jubel.mid - 17KB)

Piano Sonata op.14 (revised version)
Raff rewrote some of his earliest piano music at the very end of his career - see the Catalogue of Raff's Music. Volker Tosta's excellent MIDI rendition of the late Piano Sonata clearly demonstrates Raff's mastery of both musical structure and his love of counterpoint in a work work which, despite it's great melodic distinction, is more technically demanding than brilliant.

I. Allegro (raff_141.mid - 44KB)

II. Allegro molto (raff_142.mid - 21KB)

III. Larghetto (raff_143.mid - 33KB)

IV. Allegro (raff_144.mid - 44KB)

Piano Sonata op.14 (original version)
The original version of the Piano Sonata op.14 was written in 1844 at the very start of Raff's career. Despite being an early work, it demonstrates his love of older, classical forms by ending in a lively fugue - here available in another of the Volker Tosta's fine MIDI realisations.

IV. Fugue (from Allegro appassionato) (14_fugue.mid - 16KB)

Piano Suite No.1 op.69
The series of seven piano suites which Raff produced between 1857 and 1876 were amongst the first compositions which grafted the harmonic and melodic language of the 19th century onto the structures common in the baroque era of 100 years before. So well received was it that this First Suite was swiftly followed by two others. This fine MIDI realisation by Segundo Yogore*.

I. Preludio (suite101.mid - 8KB)

II. Mazurka (suite102.mid - 11KB)

III. Toccatina (suite103.mid - 8KB)

IV. Aria (suite104.mid - 12KB)

V. Fuga (suite105.mid - 9KB)

Piano Suite No.2 op.71
Composed only two months after the First Piano Suite, the Second follows the pattern set by its predecessor. The three of the five movements are in traditional baroque forms: Preludio, Toccatina and Fuga, whilst the other two are a dance and a song-like piece. All are imbued with the spirit of the the 18th century, however. Another fine MIDI realisation from Segundo Yogore*.

I. Preludio (suite201.mid - 6KB)

II. Polka (suite202.mid - 14KB)

III. Toccatina (suite203.mid - 11KB)

IV. Romanza (suite204.mid - 12KB)

V. Fuga (suite205.mid - 11KB)

Piano Suite No.3 op.72
Composed in the same month as the Second Piano Suite, the Third is in the same mould as its two predecessors. This time four of its five movements are in traditional baroque forms: Preludio, Minuetto, Toccata and Fuga, whilst the romantic era is represented by a Romanza. Even in this piece, though, the baroque is the predominant influence. This impressive MIDI realisation is by Segundo Yogore*.

I. Preludio (suite301.mid - 12KB)

II. Minuetto (suite302.mid - 14KB)

III. Toccata (suite303.mid - 11KB)

IV. Romanza (suite304.mid - 13KB)

V. Fuga (suite305.mid - 18KB)

Piano Suite No.4 op.91
Just two years separate the Third and Forth Piano Suites, but the latter moves away from Raff's previous template. It is a large four movement work, built on a symphonic scale. Although the movement titles remain baroque, the work is unashamedly romantic in style and content. It was one of Raff's most performed major piano pieces during his lifetime. A further excellent MIDI realisation by Segundo Yogore*.

I. Fantasia e Fuga (suite401.mid - 46KB)

II. Giga con Variazione (suite402.mid - 54KB)

III. Cavatina (suite403.mid - 27KB)

IV. Marcia (suite404.mid - 41KB)

Trois Morceux op.2
This set of three piano pieces was the first of the series of works rewritten - effectively re-composed - by Raff in his later years. This delicate Romance is the second of the set, captured by these two fine MIDI transcriptions by E Grey and Segundo Yogore*.

II. Romance (romance.mid - 13KB) by E Gray.

II. Romance (romance1.mid - 11KB) by Segundo Yogore*.

Cavatina op.85 No.3
The Cavatina is the third of the Six Morceaux op.85 for violin and piano. In innumerable arrangements it became insanely popular, and continued to be long after Raff's more substantial works had been long forgotten. This MIDI transcription by Alexander MacFadyen preserves a piano roll performance of a piano arrangement.

Cavatina op.85 No.3 (cavatina.mid - 15KB)

Concert Paraphrase of Schumann's Abendlied WoO.25
Raff wrote many transcriptions, arrangements and other adaptations of popular works by other composers. He described them as his Brotarbeit (literally "work for bread"). Necessary work or no, he never skimped on the artistry of even these potentially mundane creations, as this MIDI transcription by Leo Ornstein of a piano roll performance of his Concert Paraphrase of a well known song by Schumann shows..

Concert Paraphrase on Schumann's Abendlied (schumann.mid - 24KB)

Opera King Alfred WoO.14
Raff's first opera only secured a few performances, but it was well thought of and Liszt transcribed two pieces from it for piano - a march and an Andante finale. Here W. Pepperdine has rendered Liszt's adaptations into MIDI format.

I. March (ka-march.mid - 67KB)

II. Andante finale (ka_fin.mid - 81KB)

La Fileuse op.157 No.2
La Fileuse was one of the few works by Raff which survived the calamatous collapse in his reputation after his death. This charming picture of a girl at her spinning wheel is nicely captured in Segundo Yogore's MIDI rendition*.

La Fileuse op.157 No.2 (fileuse.mid - 14KB)

[* Kunst der Fuge MIDI collections by Segundo G. Yogore, onclassical.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at kunstderfuge.com. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://kunstderfuge.com/notes.htm.]