Classical Editor: Rob Barnett                               Founder Len Mullenger

RAFF, Joachim
b Lachen, near Zurich, 27 May 1822
d Frankfurt, 25 June 1882, aged sixty

His father was a teacher and organist, and he himself took a teacher-training course in Switzerland and taught from 1840 to 1844 in Rapperswil. It was Mendelssohn who recommended his early piano pieces for publication. In 1845 Liszt found him a job in a music shop, and later with a publisher in Hamburg. In 1850 he went to live with Liszt. In 1856 he gave up his job and went to Wiesbaden to teach piano and write; and in 1877 he was appointed director of the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt.

1848 (26)

Psalm CXXI, for soli and chorus

1849-50 (26-8)

Konig Alfred, opera

1353 (31)

Te Deum, for chorus and orchestra

1853-7 (31-5)

Samson, opera (unperformed)

1854 (32)

Grosse Symphonie (lost)

Suite No 1 for orchestra

1855 (33)

Dornroschen, for soli, chorus and orchestra

1858 (36)

Wachet auf!, for soli and orchestra

1859 61 (37-9)

Symphony No 1

1862-3 (40-1)

Deutschland Auferstchung, for male voices and orchestra

1867 (45)

De Profundis, for mixed voices and orchestra

1868 (46)

Die Parole, opera (unperformed)

1869 (47)

Dame Kobold, comic opera

Symphony No 2

1871 (49)

Two Songs for chorus and orchestra

Symphony No 3

Italian Suite

1872 (50)

Symphony No 4

1873 (51)

Symphony No 5

Morgenlied, for chorus and orchestra

1874 (52)

Symphony No 6

Suite No 2 for orchestra

1876 (54)

Symphony No 7

1877 (55)

Symphony No 8

Thuringer Suite, for orchestra

1877-8 (55-6)

Benedetto Marcello, opera (unperformed)

Die Tageszeiten, for chorus, piano and orchestra

1879 (57)

Symphony No 9

1879-81 (57-9)

Weltende, oratorio

1880 (58)

Die Sterne, for chorus and orchestra

1881-2 (59-60)

Die Eifersuchtigen, opera (unperformed)

1882 (60)

Symphony No 10

Symphony No 11

Raff also composed many other orchestral, choral, vocal, instrumental and chamber works.