JOACHIM RAFF (1822-1882)
PIANO WORKS • 5
GRANDE SONATE, OP. 14 • BLÃTTER UND BLÜTEN, OP. 135a
TRA NGUYEN, Piano
"In contrast of Raff Piano Works Vol.4 where I wanted to show Raff's vitality of youth and his great understanding of the piano with his early and often sparkling compositions, Vol.5 displays works of maturity. The delicacy of Leaves and Blossoms Op.135 requires subtle shifts in moods and colours, while the substantial Sonata Op.14 (totally revised in 1881, one year before his death) is a great work of musical structure and emotional depths. The soul-searching stillness of the slow movement leaves one with a profound sense of quiet hope." – Tra Nguyen
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Listen to an extract from Blätter und Blüten:
No. 12 - Kornblume
About this Recording
The reputation of Joseph Joachim Raff was once so high that during the 1860s and 1870s he was regarded by many as the foremost symphonist of his day. Born in Switzerland to a German father and Swiss mother, he gave up a promising teaching career to concentrate on composition, which reduced him to penury despite encouragement from Mendelssohn. Liszt was another early idol and lasting influence; Raff walked for two days through pouring rain to attend a recital by the great piano virtuoso in Basel in 1845. Liszt was so impressed with the young man that he took him with him when he returned to Germany and went on to help the destitute Raff find work in Cologne and later in Hamburg. In 1849 Liszt gave up concert performance to concentrate on composition and he invited his protégé to join him in Weimar. From 1850 until 1856 Raff was part of Liszt’s household there, acting as his amanuensis.
Raff’s piano compositions earned him considerable acclaim in his lifetime. The four volumes of Blätter und Blüten (Leaves and Blossoms) consist of twelve deliciously melodic and colourful depictions of the then popular vogue for ‘The Language of Flowers’. By contrast, the Grande Sonate is a late work conceived on a quasi-symphonic scale. One of Raff’s major statements, it encompasses a bleak nobility that represents the culmination of his writing for the piano.
GRANDE SONATE, OP. 14 (1881)
1 I. Allegro (11:32)
2 II. Allegro molto (04:11)
3 III. Larghetto (10:22)
4 IV. Allegro — Animato — Più mosso (08:47)
BLÃTTER UND BLÜTEN, OP. 135a (1866) *
Volume 1
5 No. 1 Epheu: Andantino (03:14)
6 No. 2 Cypresse: Larghetto (04:32)
7 No. 3 Nelke: Presto - Molto meno mosso, quasi Andantino -
Tempo I (03:01)
Volume 2
8 No. 4 Lorbeer: Allegro vivace (03:16)
9 No. 5 Rose: Andantino, non troppo lento (01:58)
10 No. 6. Vergiβmeinnicht: Allegro grazioso (04:14)
Volume 3
11 No. 7. Reseda: Allegretto (02:23)
12 No. 8. Lubine: Andate (03:33)
13 No. 9. Animone: Allegro (02:53)
Volume 4
14 No. 10. Immergrün: Allegretto - Un poco meno
mosso - Tempo I (03:21)
15 No. 11. Maiglöckchen: Allegretto pastorale
(quasi Andantino) (02:25)
16 No. 12 Kornblume: Presto - Un pochettino meno mosso - Come prima (03:35)
TOTAL TIME: 73:07
About TRA NGUYEN
British-Vietnamese Tra Nguyen gave her first concert, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto, K488, with the Hanoi Conservatory Orchestra. Since then she has continued to engage audiences in other important venues worldwide. Recent performances include Queen Elizabeth Hall, Tokyo Opera City, Hong Kong City Recital Hall, Cadogan Hall and Wigmore Hall amongst others. Her imaginative programming balances core repertoire and lesser-known music, winning critical praises. Her discography introduces many world première recordings of neglected music. Her recent recordings of the piano music of Joachim Raff were chosen as Album of the Week by The Independent in March 2010 and in April 2012. Tra Nguyen studied with Lev Naumov at the Moscow Conservatory and with Christopher Elton at the Royal Academy of Music where she received the Academy’s highest award for her final recital. She was awarded the ARAM (Associate of the Royal Academy of Music) for her “significant contribution to the music profession” in 2013.
PREVIOUS RELEASES
- American Record Guide
– MusicWeb International
– American Record Guide
