In 1876, Joachim Raff composed an extraordinary quartet triptyque (opus 192), which covers three diverse ‘historical’ themes.
The first quartet was given the explanatory title ‘Suite älterer Form’, the second one is called ‘Die schöne Müllerin’ and the third one ‘Suite in Canon Form’. In these three works, Raff expresses himself as theorist and historian. In this period, people wanted to understand the past and especially Bach’s time. While there is no citation to Schubert’s famous cycle whatsoever in ‘Die schöne Müllerin’, the ‘Suite in älterer Form’ ows a great deal to the Bach investigation of those years.
Joachim Raff – Strijkkwartet in D-gr.t., opus 192:2 (nr.7) 1874
(Die schöne Müllerin) (32:00)
- Der Jüngling (Allegretto) (8:00), 2. Die Mühle (Allegro)(2:03), 3. Die Müllerin (Andante quasi allegretto) (9:30), 4. Unruhe (Allegro) (2:11), 5. Erklärung (Andantino quasi allegretto) (3:00), 6. Zum Polterabend (Vivace) (7:15)
Performers: Mannheim String Quartet
CD: CPO
Joachim Raff – Strijkkwartet in c minor, opus 192:1 (nr. 6) 1874
(Suite in älterer Form) (22:25)
- Menuet. Allegro (3:51), 3. Gavotte und Musette, Allegro (3:25), 4. Arie. Largo (8:57), 5. Gigue – Finale, Vivace (6:11)
Performers: Mannheim String Quartet
CD: CPO
