Raff's musical style evolved to be between the conservatism of Mendelssohn/Schumann and the 'New German' camp of Liszt and Wagner, leading him to leave Liszt's circle in 1856.
Composer Biography
Joseph Joachim Raff, born in Switzerland, was initially a schoolteacher before his passion for composition led him to seek Mendelssohn's opinion of his talent.
Critical Reception
Although Raff's general reputation suffered posthumously, his five violin sonatas were consistently highly regarded by violinists and audiences, with virtuosos like Sarasate playing them frequently.
Performer Biography
Laurence Kayaleh, the violinist on this album, plays a 1742 Guarneri violin that once belonged to the eminent violinist and pedagogue Carl Flesch.
Composer Biography
Raff's reputation rose significantly after 1863, when his First Symphony and a cantata won major prizes, eventually leading him to be regarded as Germany's leading symphonist.
Composer Biography
Despite a large output of piano works, Raff was not a virtuoso pianist and showed more promise with the violin in his youth, writing 21 works for violin and piano.
Composer Biography
Raff was self-taught in composition and was rescued from destitution by Franz Liszt, who found him musical jobs and later took him on as his amanuensis in Weimar.
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