This is a strange thing in the history of music. You have giants and then others. Joachim Rafff was a different person for a while. He’s definitely not the underdog, he’s actually the favorite. But what about today? You may not know his name. This is a classic case of being too popular, too early, or “too” appropriate for a romantic story.
Born in Lachen, near Zurich, in 1822, Raff followed a path very different from the tortured artist archetype we admire. it meant he had a job In 1400 this probably meant you had to keep his head. In 1840, that meant he had a job and a schedule. He taught himself to play the piano. He taught himself to play the violin. He taught himself composition. No conservatory background, just pure will and lots of practice.
In the early years, his music focused on more familiar works such as Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann. Safe choices. Respectable choices. But then the tide turned. The “New German School” led by Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner was on the rise. These people are rebels. They want to break the rules. Raff just didn’t join them. He became their right hand man.
From 1850 to 1856 Raff was Liszt’s assistant in Weimar. This is no small administrative role. This is the room where it happens. You help engineer this revolution. You’re listening to the most radical ideas of today. Somehow Raff managed to absorb all of this without losing his voice. It’s a trick most composers fail at.
He did not stay in Weimar permanently. In 1856 he moved to Wiesbaden to teach piano. He lived there for over 20 years. From 1856 to 1877. That’s 21 years of teaching, writing and grinding. He created works in almost every imaginable genre. Symphony. Concerto. Opera. chamber music. piano music. He was exhaustingly prolific.
This is where it gets interesting. In Raff’s day, he was more than just a footnote. He was considered the peer of Johannes Brahms and Richard Wagner. Think about it. Brahms. Wagner. Two of the most persistent and influential figures in the history of classical music. People sit in concert halls and say, “Yeah, Raff is part of that conversation.” He wasn’t trying to be them. He competes with them.
In 1877, Raff became president of the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt. He served in this capacity until his death in 1882. He is highly respected. Please be kind and respectful. important.
So why don’t we play his music today?
It’s not because it’s bad. It’s not because he wasn’t talented. Because the history of music is the story we tell ourselves, and Raff doesn’t fit into that story. He is very balanced. It’s very melodic. The combination of modern and tradition is very successful. Brahms was the traditionalist rebel. Wagner was a radical visionary. Raff was right there. Prolific. Stable.
He left behind 11 symphonies.
