Raff, (Joseph) Joachim (1822–1882)

Swiss composer. He is best known for such programme symphonies as Im Walde and Frühlingsklänge/Voices of Spring, suggesting Alpine imagery tinged by German Romanticism.

He studied to become a schoolmaster, but took to music and in 1843 had some works published on Mendelssohn's recommendation. He met Liszt, and at Cologne in 1846 Mendelssohn, who invited him to become his pupil at Leipzig but died before this was done. He then wrote criticism at Cologne, studied further at Stuttgart, and in 1850 settled at Weimar to be near Liszt. In 1856 he went to Wiesbaden, where he wrote incidental music for a drama by Wilhelm Genast and married his daughter Doris, an actor. In 1877 he became director of the Hoch Conservatory at Frankfurt.

Works Opera and stage operas, including König Alfred (1851) and Dame Kobold (on Calderón's Dama duende, 1870); incidental music for Genast's Bernhard von Weimar and other plays.

Choral oratorio Weltende and other choral works.

Orchestral 11 symphonies, including programme symphony An das Vaterland, Im Walde, Lenore (on Bürger's ballad), Gelebt, gestrebt .., In den Alpen, Frühlingsklange, Im Sommer, Zur Herbstzeit, Der Winter (unfinished), two suites, and three overtures for orchestra; sinfonietta for wind instruments; concerto, suite, and Ode au printemps for piano and orchestra; two violin concertos, cello concerto.

Chamber eight string quartets, string sextets, string octet, four piano trios, two piano quartets, piano quintet; five violin and piano sonatas; numerous piano works; violin pieces.