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Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School
2019
The Choral Music of Joachim Raff (1822– 1882)Jeremy Kenneth Wiggins
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COLLEGE OF MUSIC
THE CHORAL MUSIC OF JOACHIM RAFF (1822–1882)
By
JEREMY KENNETH WIGGINS
A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
2019 Jeremy Wiggins defended this dissertation on March 12, 2019. The members of the supervisory committee were:
André J. Thomas Professor Directing Dissertation
Michelle Stebleton University Representative
Kevin Fenton Committee Member
William Fredrickson Committee Member
The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the dissertation has been approved in accordance with university requirements.
ii
For my best friend and wonderful wife, Christina Louise Wiggins
iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First, I want to thank my family, whose love and support have meant the world to me.
Thank you to Alyssa and Stacey, my dear friends, who have supported and cheered for me every step of the way.
I want to thank my professors at Florida State University, who have shaped both my mind and my character. Thank you to Dr. André Thomas for guiding me, encouraging me, getting me to smile, and being an inspiration to me and so many throughout your career. We are all better for knowing you. Thank you to Dr. Fenton, who works every day in pursuit of making this world better through music. I will miss our conversations, and I am thankful that I had the opportunity to learn from you for the past three years. Thank you to Dr. Clifford Madsen, Dr. Judy Bowers, Dr. John Geringer, Dr. William Fredrickson, and Dr. Denise Von Glahn. I have learned so much from each of you, and I will never forget my time in your classrooms. Thank you to Professor Stebleton for being on my dissertation committee and being an integral part of this process.
Thank you to Robert Istad and Christopher Peterson from California State University, Fullerton, who guided me through my undergraduate and master’s degrees. You have invested an incredible amount of time in me and my career. I am eternally grateful.
Thank you to the FSU choral cohort, who have been the best colleagues and friends.
Thank you to the members of the Lafayette Presbyterian Church Choir, who have been extremely supportive over the last two years. I will miss our time together.
Thank you to Alice Vickers! I could not have done this without your help!
Thank you to Mark Thomas and Volker Tosta, whose decades of research on Joachim Raff spurred my interest in the composer. Thank you for your insight and assistance in the development of this research.
iv TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables ...... vii List of Figures ...... viii List of Examples ...... ix Abstract ...... xii
1. INTRODUCTION, NEED FOR STUDY, PURPOSE OF STUDY, AND PROCEDURES .....1
Introduction ...... 1 Need for the Study ...... 2 Review of Literature ...... 3 Research Questions ...... 4 Delimitations ...... 5 Purpose ...... 5 Procedures ...... 5 Organization of the Study ...... 6
2. BIOGRAPHY ...... 8
Origins and Youth ...... 8 Compositional Beginnings ...... 11 Career Beginnings ...... 13 Weimar, Doris, and Liszt ...... 17 Wiesbaden ...... 21 Prominence as a Composer ...... 24
3. UNACCOMPANIED AND A CAPPELLA WORKS FOR CHORUS ...... 29
Overview ...... 29 The Role of Nineteenth-Century Part-Songs on German National Identity ...... 29 Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor, op. 97 ...... 30 Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor, op. 122 ...... 33 Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor, op. 195 ...... 37 Zehn Gesänge für Geminschten Chor, op. 198 ...... 39 In dulci jubilo!, WoO. 41A ...... 41 Cecilian Movement of the Nineteenth Century ...... 43 Four Marion Antiphons, WoO. 27 ...... 44 “Alma redemptoris mater,” no. 1 ...... 45 “Ave regina coelorum,” no. 2 ...... 46 “Regina coeli,” no. 3 ...... 48 “Salve Regina,” no. 4 ...... 48 “Kyrie” and “Gloria,” WoO. 31 ...... 49 Pater Noster, WoO. 32 ...... 51 Ave Maria, WoO. 33 ...... 53 v 4. WORKS FOR CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA ...... 55
Overview ...... 55 Te Deum, WoO. 16 ...... 55 Dornröschen, WoO. 19 ...... 61 The Elven choruses ...... 64 Other choruses and characters ...... 65 Wachet auf!, op. 80 ...... 71 Deutschlands Auferstehung, op. 100 ...... 77 De Profundis, op. 141 ...... 84 Zwei Gesänge für Gemischten Chor, op. 171 ...... 96 Morgenlied and Einer Entschlafenen, op. 186 ...... 99 Die Tageszeiten, op. 209 ...... 103 Die Sterne, WoO. 53 ...... 112 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, op. 212 ...... 118
5. CONCLUSIONS ...... 139
Recommendations for Further Research ...... 140
APPENDICES ...... 142
A. CATALOG OF CHORAL WORKS ...... 142 B. ANALYSIS OF WELT-ENDE – GERICHT –NEUE WELT, OP. 212 ...... 148
Bibliography ...... 153
Biographical Sketch ...... 157
vi LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1 Graphic analysis of form, text, and texture in Pater Noster, WoO. 32 ...... 53
Table 4.1 Text comparison and usage in Te Deum, WoO. 16 ...... 57
Table 4.2 Formal design of Te Deum, WoO. 16 ...... 59
vii LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 3.1 Comparison of sketch material and draft material in “Gloria” from WoO. 31 ...... 50
Figure 4.1 Concert publicity for the premiere of Dornröschen, WoO. 19 ...... 63
Figure 4.2 “The Resurrection” Motive 1, Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt ...... 133
Figure 4.3 “The Resurrection” Motive 2, Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt ...... 133
Figure 4.4 “The Resurrection” Motive 3, Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt ...... 133
viii LIST OF EXAMPLES
Example 3.1 “Untreue,” mm. 1 & 2 ...... 31
Example 3.2 “Trinklied,” mm. 33–36...... 32
Example 3.3 “Die Beredtsamkeit,” mm. 14–22 ...... 34
Example 3.4 “Drescherlied,” mm. 14–17 ...... 35
Example 3.5 “Abendsegen,” mm. 1–8 ...... 36
Example 3.6 “Abendsegen,” mm. 51–57 ...... 37
Example 3.7 “Kommt Brüder, trinkt froh mit mir,” mm. 21–25 ...... 38
Example 3.8 “Kosakentrinklied,” mm. 49–56 ...... 39
Example 3.9 “Maitag,” mm. 37–42 ...... 41
Example 3.10 “In Mondenglanz,” mm. 31–40 ...... 42
Example 3.11 “Alma redemptoris mater,” mm. 1–7 ...... 45
Example 3.12 “Ave regina coelorum,” mm. 7–10 ...... 47
Example 4.1 Te Deum, mm. 245–251 ...... 60
Example 4.2 Dornröschen, Part I, no. 4, pg. 35 ...... 64
Example 4.3 Dornröschen, Part I, no. 4, pg. 36 ...... 66
Example 4.4 Dornröschen, Part II, no. 2, pg. 64 ...... 67
Example 4.5 Dornröschen, Part IV, no. 20a, pg. 189 ...... 69
Example 4.6 Dornröschen, Part IV, no. 22, pg. 206 ...... 70
Example 4.7 Wachet auf!, pg. 63 ...... 73
Example 4.8 Wachet auf!, pg. 4 ...... 75
Example 4.9 Wachet auf!, pg. 36 ...... 76
Example 4.10 Wachet auf!, pg. 23 ...... 78
ix Example 4.11 Wachet auf!, pg. 45 ...... 79
Example 4.12 Deutschlands Auferstehung, pg. 14 ...... 81
Example 4.13 Deutschlands Auferstehung, pg. 73 ...... 83
Example 4.14 De Profundis, mvt. 2, mm. 103–108 ...... 86
Example 4.15 De Profundis, mvt. 2, mm. 37–39 ...... 86
Example 4.16 De Profundis, mvt. 2, mm. 62–65 ...... 87
Example 4.17 De Profundis, mvt. 3, mm. 27–30 ...... 87
Example 4.18 De Profundis, mvt. 3, mm. 61–66 ...... 88
Example 4.19 De Profundis, mvt. 3, mm. 133–135 ...... 89
Example 4.20 De Profundis, mvt. 4, mm. 181–188 ...... 91
Example 4.21 De Profundis, mvt. 5, mm. 10–19 ...... 92
Example 4.22 De Profundis, mvt. 5, mm. 38–40 ...... 93
Example 4.23 De Profundis, mvt. 5, mm. 158–172 ...... 94
Example 4.24 De Profundis, mvt. 6, mm. 174–181 ...... 97
Example 4.25 “Im Kahn,” Zwei Gesänge für Gemischten Chor, no. 1, pg. 7 ...... 98
Example 4.26 Morgenlied, mm. 1–7 ...... 101
Example 4.27 Morgenlied, mm. 145–149 ...... 102
Example 4.28 Einer Entschlafenen, mm. 195–203 ...... 104
Example 4.29 Einer Entschlafenen, mm. 106–110 ...... 105
Example 4.30 Die Tageszeiten, mvt. 1, pg. 30 ...... 107
Example 4.31 Die Tageszeiten, mvt. 2 pg. 67–68 ...... 109
Example 4.32 Die Sterne, mvt. 3, mm. 32–37 ...... 115
Example 4.33 Die Sterne, mvt. 3, mm. 48–52 ...... 116
x Example 4.34 Die Sterne, mvt. 4, mm. 46–54 ...... 117
Example 4.35 Die Sterne, mvt. 5, mm. 114–123 ...... 119
Example 4.36 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 3 ...... 120
Example 4.37 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 5 ...... 121
Example 4.38 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 25 ...... 123
Example 4.39 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 30 ...... 124
Example 4.40 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 59 ...... 125
Example 4.41 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 61 ...... 126
Example 4.42 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 177 ...... 131
Example 4.43 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 251 ...... 136
Example 4.44 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 283 ...... 137
xi ABSTRACT
Joachim Raff (1822–1882), known mainly for his symphonic works, composed a significant amount of choral music, which includes seventeen choral-orchestral works, fifty part- songs, six a cappella motets, and other incidental choral music. Raff was well respected as a composer in the second half of the nineteenth century, but performances of Raff’s works declined sharply after the turn of the twentieth century. To date, no dissertations or other publications exist that discuss Raff’s contributions to the choral oeuvre.
The purpose of this dissertation is to examine Joachim Raff’s life and to provide historical, contextual, stylistic, musical, and idiosyncratic elements of each of Raff’s available choral works. This study divides the analysis of the choral works into two chapters: one chapter for his works for unaccompanied and a cappella chorus, and another chapter that covers his works for chorus and orchestra. In addition to providing a general analysis, the discussion offers insight into the accessibility level of each work.
The conclusions of this study are that the choral music of Joachim Raff spans multiple genres and styles, and that it offers accessibility to a variety of choirs. As a resource for those wishing to study or perform choral works by Raff, this document also contains a catalog of his choral works, which provides information on voicing, orchestration, and publication.
xii CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION, NEED FOR STUDY, PURPOSE OF STUDY, AND PROCEDURES
Introduction
Joachim Raff (1822–1882) was a prolific composer who penned close to 350 original compositions and over 100 arrangements. Mainly known for his symphonic, chamber, and piano compositions, Raff also composed a significant amount of choral music, which includes fifty various sacred and secular compositions for unaccompanied chorus and seventeen choral- orchestral works.1 While much of Raff’s music falls firmly within the conventions of progressive
Romantic style and harmony of the middle to late nineteenth century, Raff’s affinity for older compositional styles and techniques of the Renaissance and Baroque periods is evident in his music.
Raff had a multifaceted career and found acclaim as a composer in the last decades of his life. Raff was born in Lachen, Switzerland, in 1822, and received his first music lessons from his father. An exemplary student, Raff excelled in all subjects and played several instruments. In
1840, Raff accepted a job as a teacher in Rapperswil, Switzerland, but genuinely felt he wanted to be a composer. Raff’s musical journey found him in the employment of Franz Liszt (1811–
1886). A lifelong friendship between the two composers began, and Raff worked as a copyist and orchestrator for Liszt for many years. Raff often composed and published his own music between completing tasks for Liszt and doing other work to produce a living wage.
1 Only eleven choral-orchestral works are included in this study. Domine salvum fac, WoO. 15b, and Der Entfesselte Prometheus, WoO. 14a, are choral-orchestral arrangements of works by Franz List (1811–1886). The other four compositions are unavailable. 1 In 1855, Raff set out on his own and moved to Wiesbaden. He was most fruitful during this time in his life, producing numerous compositions, including some of his most well-known symphonies. By the early 1860s, Raff’s symphonies received performances throughout Europe, and he developed a reputation as a talented and independent composer. In 1877, Raff moved to
Frankfurt to take the position of director of the newly established Dr. Hoch Conservatory. The conservatory was successful, and Raff found great joy in teaching. Between his duties at the conservatory, Raff composed several symphonies, some chamber music, and an oratorio, Welt-
Ende - Gericht - Neue Welt, op. 212. In the spring of 1882, Raff suffered a severe heart episode, and a physician informed him of a life-threatening heart condition. Raff succumbed to the condition on June 24, 1882. Despite his reputation as a respected composer and teacher, performances of his music became sparse after the turn of the century and, currently, there is limited scholarship concerning his life and works.
Need for the Study
Although there are extant investigations, reviews, and research into his symphonic and instrumental repertoire, research and analysis of Raff’s choral music is sparse. The completion of a historical, contextual, and musical analysis of these compositions will support subsequent research on the topic. Raff offers a variety of sacred and secular choral music that varies in length, difficulty, and instrumentation. While there is a plethora of German Romantic repertoire for advanced choirs, there is little to offer secondary developmental choruses. Raff’s a cappella choral music and part-songs fit this demographic, and insight and analysis of these works offer a resource for these music directors. Currently, no formal resource combines historical, contextual, logistical, and analytical content of Raff’s choral music. In addition to supporting future
2 research, such a document offers a resource for those wishing to perform his music and determine if it is appropriate for their ensemble.
Review of Literature
The most in-depth sources of information regarding Raff and his compositions are
Joachim Raff: Portrait of a Life, written by his daughter Helene Raff, and a catalog of his collected works, Chronologisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der Werke Joachim Raff’s by Albert
Schäfer. Joachim Raff: Portrait of a Life, translated into English in 2012 by Alan Howe and additional details added (in footnotes) by Mark Thomas, gives a comprehensive account of
Raff’s life and personal details regarding many of his compositions. The catalog by Schäfer, also translated by Alan Howe and edited by Mark Thomas, provides concise details regarding the impetus, date, voicing, orchestration, musical information, premiere details, and other pertinent information for many of Raff’s compositions.
Currently, there are only two dissertations concerning Raff and his works. James Fuller’s dissertation, Joseph Joachim Raff: A Biographical Sketch and a Conductor's Analysis of His
Sinfonietta, Op. 188, provides a biography and an in-depth analysis of one of Raff’s most well- known works; Molly Johnson’s dissertation, Maria Stuart, Opus 172: A Song Cycle by Joseph
Joachim Raff Based on the Poetry of Mary Queen of Scots, provides a musical and textual analysis for the song cycle.
There are three notable sources of information regarding Raff’s choral works. The first source is a pair of essays written by Dr. Avrohom Leichtling included in the liner notes of two compact discs. Joachim Raff: Works for Choir, Piano and Orchestra, released by Sterling in
2010, and Joachim Raff: Works for Choir and Orchestra, released by Sterling in 2012, give
3 insight and a succinct analysis for each piece on the albums.2 The pieces on the Sterling recordings, except for Die Tageszeiten, op. 209, have modern performance editions published by
Edition Nordstern. Each edition includes a foreword that provides salient details of the piece and discussion of style, form, and other musical details. The last source is a review of Raff’s Welt-
Ende - Gericht - Neue Welt, op. 212, included in volume 24 (April 1, 1883) of The Musical
Times and Singing Class Circular. The review does not comment on style, but does offer a brief
“play-by-play” of the composition and some contextual details.
Raff only appears in other types of formal research in discussions about Romantic symphonic repertoire, the New German school, and research regarding Franz Liszt and Edward
McDowell. Other sources, such as music reviews from German and English music periodicals and nineteenth and early-twentieth-century music encyclopedias, provide analysis and reviews of his instrumental works.
Research Questions
1. What are the salient biographical details needed to understand the life of Joachim Raff
and his multifaceted career?
2. What are the historical, contextual, and logistical details of each of Raff’s choral
compositions?
3. For each composition, what are the salient compositional characteristics as they relate to
the musical representation of the text and the compositional style?
4. How is each composition musically constructed as it relates to form, harmony,
instrumentation, and text?
2 Works include Raff’s Te Deum, WoO. 16, De Profundis, op. 141, Pater Noster WoO. 32, Ave Maria, WoO. 33, Vier Marianischen Antiphonen, WoO. 27, Die Tageszeiten, op. 209, Two Works for Chorus and Orchestra, op. 186, and Die Sterne, WoO. 53. 4 5. For each composition, which elements (musical or nonmusical) affect accessibility as it
pertains to difficulty, voicing, and orchestration?
Delimitations
1. This study will not include any of Raff’s operas.
2. This study will not provide a microanalysis of his compositions, but instead will provide
general analysis of the works, which will be a concise resource for those wishing to
perform Raff’s choral works.
3. This study will not discuss unavailable scores or unattainable scores.
4. This study will not discuss any vocal music for soloists, duets, quartets, or non-vocal
music.
5. Translations of the German and Latin pieces will not be included.
6. The author will write about the part-songs in groups by opus number and not
individually.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to provide the following: (1) an account of Joachim Raff’s life; (2) a historical, contextual, logistical, textual, and musical analysis of his choral music; and
(3) a catalog of his choral music to use as a reference tool for researchers or those seeking to perform Raff’s choral music.
Procedures
Sources
Sources include the following:
Books; journal, newspaper, and website articles; and dissertations related to Raff.
5 Books; journal, reviews, newspaper, and website articles; and dissertations related to
Raff’s music.
Books; journal, newspaper, and website articles; and dissertations related to the music of
Franz Liszt and the New German school.
Musical scores and related composer or conductor notes.
Forewords included in modern performance editions.
Recordings of Raff’s music and accompanying liner notes.
Raff’s personal letters.
Organization of the Study
Chapter 1: Introduction, Need for Study, Purpose of Study, and Procedures
This chapter presents a brief biographical introduction to the subject, the need and
purpose, research questions and delimitations, procedures, and organization of the
study.
Chapter 2: The Life of Joachim Raff
This chapter is an in-depth account of Joachim Raff’s life.
Chapter 3: Raff’s Music for Unaccompanied and A cappella Chorus
This chapter provides a historical, contextual, logistical, and musical analysis of each
piece for unaccompanied chorus.
Chapter 4: Raff’s Music for Chorus and Orchestra
This chapter provides a historical, contextual, logistical, and musical analysis of each
piece for chorus and orchestra.
Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations for Further Research
6 This chapter will provide a summary of the conclusions and recommendations for
further research.
Bibliography
Appendices
Biographical Sketch
7 CHAPTER 2
BIOGRAPHY
Origins and Youth
Near the shore of Lake Zurich in Lachen, Switzerland, stands a humble monument dedicated to Josef Joachim Raff (1822–1882) and his musical, scholarly, and educational contributions to the Romantic musical world. It is not far from the schoolhouse where he was born, and it is just across the lake from where he began his career as a schoolteacher. Raff penned over three hundred compositions in his lifetime and was known as an important and valued composer throughout Europe. In addition to his compositional efforts, Raff contributed to
Germany’s musical culture as a writer and critic, often publishing in journals and writing books.
Lastly, as a respected educator, Raff opened the successful Dr. Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt in 1878.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Raff did not enjoy the financial comfort that comes from family wealth, nor did he descend from a long line of musicians. Raff was from modest origins. Anton Raff (1763–n.d.), Raff’s grandfather, came from “Wiesenstetten in the Black
Forest area of Württemburg,” forty miles southwest of Stuttgart.3 Anton, a weaver and a farmer, married Helene Lohmiller, and they had nine children. Joachim’s father, Franz Josef Raff (1789–
1861), was a voracious learner and was “granted the privilege of walking to Mühringen twice a week to receive lessons in reading, writing, and arithmetic from the local cantor and . . . as a
3 Helene Raff, Joachim Raff: Portrait of a Life, trans. Alan Howe, ed. Mark Thomas (self-pub., www.raff.org, 2012), 1.
8 special reward, organ lessons.”4 Franz often made money as a child playing music in town squares.
In 1806, the Kingdom of Württemburg joined the Napoleonic Confederation as an ally and received additional territory for supporting the war effort. This was an unfortunate turn of events for Franz, as every man aged seventeen and older was forced to join the army to fight in the Russian campaign. Approximately sixteen thousand people from this area fought in the campaign and very few returned.5 To avoid conscription, Franz walked ninety miles to a
Cistercian monastery in Wettingen, Switzerland. The monks offered him shelter, continued his formal education, and gave him additional lessons on the organ. Franz stayed with the monks until the fall of Napoleon and returned home when a decree pardoned those who avoided conscription. Franz moved to Lachen, Switzerland, where he worked as a teacher and met his wife, Katharina Schmid, the daughter of the town’s Landammann, or chief magistrate. They married in 1819, and Josef Joachim Raff was born on May 27, 1822.6
It is fitting that Raff was born in Lachen’s schoolhouse, because he, like his father, had an affinity for learning. Raff’s father began to educate Joachim at a very young age. Helene Raff,
Joachim’s daughter, noted in her biographical book Joachim Raff: Portrait of a Life, that
“recognizing the intellectual ability and precocious understanding of his eldest son, Raff’s father, ever the teacher, was far too pushy as far as his education was concerned; in fact, it seems that his intention was to turn him into something of a prodigy.”7 Joachim was able to read in German
4 Raff, 2.
5 Ibid. 3.
6 Ibid, 3-4.
7 Ibid, 6.
9 and translate from Latin by age eight. In addition to lessons in formal subjects, Franz gave
Joachim lessons on the violin and organ. Franz was a tough teacher and often caned Joachim’s hands if he made a mistake. After one severe beating, Joachim “declared his intention to die of starvation rather than put up with anymore [sic] such punishment.”8 Joachim followed through with this threat, and after his father realized his son’s life was in danger, Franz promised never to beat him again if he ate some food.9 Helene Raff noted in her book that in future letters to Franz
Liszt, Raff “revealed quite clearly that the harsh years of his youth . . . left deep psychological scars in this sensitive young musician.”10
In 1835, Joachim attended school at the Rottenburg Gymnasium in Württemburg. Franz,
Joachim’s father, was forced to give up his teaching position due to his association with Raff’s grandfather during the Horn and Hoof Dispute of 1838.11 The Raff family moved to Schwyz,
Switzerland, where Franz secured a teaching position at a Jesuit college. Although there were more prestigious locations to receive additional education, Joachim enrolled at the college to study philology due to lack of funds to go elsewhere. After two years, Raff passed the test to become a teacher and secured a well-paid position in Rapperswil, a town just across Lake Zurich from his hometown of Lachen. Despite having the comfort of a living wage, Raff “realized more and more that what he really wanted to pursue in his life was music.”12
8 Raff, 6.
9 Ibid, 6.
10 Ibid, 30.
11 The Horn and Hoof Dispute was a disagreement between two factions about the grazing of animals on public land. The conflict turned violent and had to be resolved through mediation; Raff, 12–13.
12 Raff, 16.
10 Compositional Beginnings
Raff spent four years teaching. During his free time, he often traveled to Zurich to watch performances by Kappellmeister Franz Abt (1819–1885), a well-known “German composer of vocal music . . . and choral conductor.”13 In 1843, Raff published his first composition, Serenade for Piano, op. 1, on the recommendation of Anton Curti with the publisher Offenbach. While publishing this composition was his first musical accomplishment, Raff still did not feel comfortable leaving the teaching profession to pursue music full-time. Raff wrote to Felix
Mendelssohn and asked him to give a “brutally honest” opinion on his compositions.14
Mendelssohn responded, “be what you were born to be: a musician.”15 In addition, Mendelssohn recommended his compositions to Breitkopf & Härtel for publication. Mendelssohn’s letter to the publisher reads as follows:
Most Respected Sirs, – I have received the enclosed letter and compositions, and cannot refrain from submitting them to you, in the hope that you may be enabled to indulge both the writer and myself with a favourable answer. Were the pieces only signed by some well-known name I am persuaded they would have a very large sale, for the contents are such that it would be difficult to believe that many of them are not by Liszt, Döhler, and other eminent players. The composition is elegant and faultless throughout, and in the most modern style; but now comes the fact that no one knows the name of the composer, which entirely alters the case. Perhaps a single piece might be taken out of each set, or possibly you may find that one or two of those for which I personally care least (e.g. the gallops) are more suited for the public taste: in a word, perhaps you may somehow be induced to print something out of the collection. If my hearty recommendation will have any weight, I most willingly add it to the request of my young friend. In any case I must ask you to try the pieces over, and refer them to those friends who usually advise you in such cases, and then let me know the result, returning the letter
13 Raff, 18.
14 Ibid, 19.
15 Ibid, 19.
11 at the same time – I trust with only a little of the music. Such is my hope, which I beg you to pardon and excuse. – Yours faithfully, F.M.B.16
Raff showed his gratitude by dedicating Twelve Romances in the Form of Etudes, op. 8, to
Mendelssohn. Mendelssohn’s positive reaction and publishing recommendation gave Raff the courage to leave his comfortable teaching position to pursue music.
This was a major turning point in Raff’s life, despite his father’s disapproval of his new professional ambitions. Raff’s father “lost his temper completely and raised furious objections to his son’s decision.”17 Helene Raff notes in her biography that Raff “could hardly blame his father for wanting to spare his son the same disappointments in life. After all, Raff senior had never earned a penny from his very real musical talent.”18 His father’s concerns for his financial well- being were justified, since Raff, without the income from his teaching position, found himself in serious financial need. Raff’s two brothers assisted him financially, and Raff felt “the sense of having chosen the wrong career;” in addition, the “conflict with his parents made him feel profoundly depressed.”19 Franz Abt attempted to procure work for Raff with the Allgemeine
Musik, but was unable. Raff’s income as a copyist and music teacher in Zurich, along with a modest amount of royalties from his publications, was not enough; he declared bankruptcy in
December of 1844. Fortunately, his encounter with Franz Liszt in the summer of 1845 completely changed his life.20
16 Unknown, “Joseph Joachim Raff [Obituary],” The Monthly Musical Record 12 (1882): 175.
17 Raff, 21.
18 Ibid, 18.
19 Ibid, 22.
20 Ibid, 24. 12 Zurich newspapers announced that Liszt, the accomplished pianist and promising composer, would perform in Basle on June 18, 1845. The tale is that Raff, not being able to afford any transport, decided to walk to Basle from Zurich. After traveling half the distance, Raff stopped at an inn for coffee and a nap. Due to inclement weather, the innkeepers let Raff continue to sleep. When he awoke, he realized that he overslept, and he rushed out of the inn into the rain in an attempt to arrive at the performance on time.21 Raff arrived at the venue, soaking wet, to find that there were no more tickets. Raff asked Liszt’s secretary, Gaetano Belloni (1810–
1887), for entry into the venue, hoping he would take pity on him due to how far he walked to see Liszt. Belloni found Raff a seat on the stage near Liszt among other patrons. While he listened to the virtuoso pianist, a puddle formed beneath his chair from his wet clothes. After the performance, Liszt engaged Raff in conversation and asked if he would like to join him on his travels to Germany.
Career Beginnings
Raff’s new association with Liszt increased his public musical stature, but he still required a steady income while working on new pieces for publication. Liszt employed Raff as an aide and assisted in securing him a job at Eck and Lefebvre’s, a music and piano dealer in
Cologne. Raff was not happy in this position. He worked incredibly long hours and tested pianos in “cold and damp environments.”22 While he lamented his position in Cologne, Raff’s
21 As Mark Thomas mentions in the footnotes from the English translation of Helene Raff’s book about her father, the way his daughter tells the story suggests that Raff made it to Basle in one day. The distance between the two locations is approximately fifty-five miles, almost certainly too far for one person to travel by foot in a day.
22 Raff, 30. 13 excitement when he met Felix Mendelssohn, in June of 1846 at a Male Choirs Festival, renewed his spirits.
Raff increased his compositional output while working in Cologne. Between 1845 and
1846, Raff composed nearly forty works for piano or for piano and voice. Due to his previous connections with publishers, in addition to the publishers he met through Liszt, Raff made additional income through publication. Unfortunately, though, Raff started to develop a reputation as someone who produced too much music that had little musical equity. In a letter to
Raff on October 28, 1846, Liszt wrote as follows:
This letter has been long delayed, my dear Raff. In the countries where I am going to be staying for a while the distances are so great in [sic] the postal service is so slow that one has little opportunity to write . . . so I must confess in all honesty that I fear this present letter in particular will not make pleasant reading for you . . . I know that you have many excellent qualities and I value your diligence and ability so highly that it is hard for me to raise concerns which might touch a sensitive spot. However, after much consideration, the whole thing has become a matter of conscience for me, and so I must tell you quite openly and frankly that it seems to me that you are going in totally the wrong direction. You know, my dear Raff, that I will always be at your disposal when it comes to negotiating with publishers. I was very pleased about the small successes which came about after I had a word with Haslinger and Mechetti; but it is precisely because I am pleased to call myself in every instance your true friend that I feel obliged to tell you frankly that your idea . . . of bombarding the publishing world with the sheer quantity of your compositions is totally pointless and inappropriate. I cannot approve of the fact that you write and publish far too much music, whatever your financial circumstances and however good the music itself is. Trying to create competition between various publishers will soon turn into total apathy on their part. Anyway, you are damaging both your talent and your reputation . . . indeed you are rendering your compositions commercially and artistically unviable from the word go, however good or bad they may be in the future . . . I believe that your true friends should be permitted in all seriousness to draw your attention to what are likely to be the harmful consequences of an incredibly fertile genius such as yours and remind you of the need for greater moderation . . . I remain your constant and true friend.23
23 Liszt, Franz (Composer), in a letter to Joachim Raff. October 1846. Quoted in Helene Raff, Joachim Raff: Portrait of a Life, trans. Alan Howe, ed. Mark Thomas (self-pub., www.raff.org, 2012), 34-36. 14 Raff found another opportunity to participate in the musical life of Cologne by joining the staff of Allgemeine Wiener Musikalische Zeitung. Raff sent in a few articles, and August Schmidt
(1809–1891), the editor, approved of his strong, sharp, and well-written opinions. Unfortunately, his strong opinions in issues 116 and 117 criticizing a few participants in the local music scene had unexpected consequences. The same people he criticized appeared at his place of work (Eck and Lefebvre’s) and confronted him about the writings. Details of the confrontation spread around the city, and Raff was professionally embarrassed. Raff decided to leave his position at
Eck and Lefebvre’s and departed for Vienna via Berlin, Leipzig, and Dresden.
After Raff introduced himself to various music publishers in each city he visited, he arrived in Stuttgart in the fall of 1847. Raff was left with two choices: he could travel either to
Weimar to work with Liszt or to Leipzig to study with Mendelssohn. Raff relished the opportunity to study with a master such as Mendelssohn, but before he decided, Mendelssohn passed away on November 4, 1847. Due to a disagreement with Liszt, Raff decided to settle in
Stuttgart. He continued to struggle financially, unable to earn a living wage teaching and writing.
Despite Raff’s financial situation, his new friendships with Hans von Bülow and Kunigunde
Heinrich were both personally and musically important. Hans von Bülow (1830–1894), an affluent German conductor and pianist, promoted Raff’s music for programming in local concerts, and they remained friends until Raff’s death in 1882. Heinrich, “a widowed music teacher,” also promoted Raff’s music within the inner musical circles of Stuttgart, employed him to transcribe and arrange music of her liking, and even housed Raff for a time.24 It was at Gütle,
24 Raff, 46-48.
15 a summer country property owned by Heinrich, where Raff began composing his opera, König
Alfred (King Alfred), WoO. 14.25
König Alfred was Raff’s first successful work for the stage, but Raff’s missteps in composing and promoting the work meant the path to success was long. At this point in his life,
Raff “had no experience in regard to writing a piece for the stage, handling a large orchestra or understanding the relationship between voices and orchestra.”26 While the initial draft of the opera demonstrated his talents in orchestration, his inexperience with voices was obvious. Raff heavily revised the score and presented the opera in segments instead of a complete work, making it difficult for any impresario to agree to stage the opera. In addition, his frequent critical letters to theater personnel harmed his relationships, and the opera was never performed in
Stuttgart.27 Without a steady income and with some outstanding debts left behind, Raff left
Stuttgart for Hamburg.
Before Raff left Stuttgart, he wrote a letter to Liszt, reconciling their disagreement and asking for Liszt’s opinion of his new opera. Liszt responded favorably to the letter and had high praise for the work. In the fall of 1849, Raff secured work with the music publisher J. Schuberth in Hamburg on Liszt’s recommendation. Raff was not able to afford the housing in Hamburg, so he stayed in Schuberth’s house and occasionally gave lessons to his daughter. Raff wrote an assortment of arrangements for Schuberth, but had little time to write large works for himself.
Raff accepted an invitation from Liszt to work for him in Weimar. On November 24, 1849, Raff left for Bad Eilsen to meet Liszt before arriving in Weimar in January of 1850.
25 Raff, 46-48.
26 Ibid, 50.
27 Ibid, 51-53.
16 Weimar, Doris, and Liszt
Raff’s time in Weimar was both musically and professionally productive. Although Raff spent most of his time in Liszt’s service arranging, copying, and orchestrating his music, “the first period of Raff’s stay in Weimar was among the happiest in Raff’s life. It was replete with
. . . hopes, joyful activity and new and fascinating experiences.”28 Raff was instrumental in Liszt finding his “orchestral voice” during this time, since Liszt “had very little experience in handling an orchestra” and “his knowledge of the technique of instrumentation was defective and he had yet composed hardly anything for orchestra.”29 Besides having constant contact with his friend
Liszt, Raff met other “Lisztians,” such “as Cornelius, Hans Bronsart von Schellendorf and
Richard Pohl.”30 At the end of January, 1850, Raff declined a position with Schuberth and decided that spending time working for Liszt in this exciting new city provided him the setting for musical gains.
Raff’s first few months in Weimar were musically productive, despite his producing fewer compositions compared to his time in Stuttgart.31 Raff rewrote the last movement of his
Psalm 121, WoO. 8, for chorus and orchestra; began writing his first symphony; and continued
28 Raff, 71.
29 Alan Walker, Franz Liszt (Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1993), 199.
30 James Deaville, “Raff, (Joseph) Joachim,” Grove Music Online. (Oxford University Press, 2001). http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/978156159 2630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000022816.
31 The compositions that he worked on during the first period in Weimar were large, multi-movement works that required more time and attention compared with the shorter pieces for chamber ensemble and music for solo instruments and piano he produced in his previous period. 17 to edit his opera, König Alfred, in preparation for its premiere in the fall.32 Raff revised most of the opera’s orchestration to accommodate the orchestra in Weimar. Through July and August,
Raff spent his time working on Liszt’s Symphonic Poem No. 5, Prometheus. The premiere of
König Alfred was postponed to the spring of 1851 and Raff used this time to make changes to the opera after hearing “Wagner’s Lohengrin, Schumann’s Genoveva, and Meyerbeer’s Le
Prophèté.”33 On March 9, 1851, Raff conducted the premiere of König Alfred in Weimar.
Although the opera was well received, Raff was unsuccessful in getting the opera staged in other cities.
Sometime in the spring of 1850, Raff went for a walk in the park where he “had run into a tall, beautiful young woman, strikingly pale in appearance; the sight of this woman he didn’t know had so captivated him that he had stopped and stared at her for a while as if spellbound. . . . From that moment on Raff’s heart was no longer his own.”34 The woman was
Dorothea (Doris) Genast (1827–1912), a singer and the second eldest daughter of Eduard Genast, the director of the Weimar Court Theatre.35 In 1853, Doris accepted a position in Wiesbaden.
Their courtship continued, and Doris often ate small meals and sent the money she saved on food to Raff.
The collaboration among the Lisztians in Weimar marked the beginning of what we now call the New German school. Alan Walker, in his biography of Franz Liszt, notes that those associated with the New German school “were among the avant-gardists of the day,” who
32 Raff, 79.
33 Ibid, 85.
34 Ibid, 86.
35 Doris’ full name is Wilhelmine Therese Dorothea Genast. Raff, 86.
18 “advance[d] the language of harmony . . . develop[ed] new orchestral sounds . . . threw out traditional forms and invented new ones,” but “were mainly young, argumentative, boisterous
[musicians]. . . bent on change.”36
Raff grew tired of his position in Weimar in 1853 due to his constant attention to Liszt’s needs, as well as his concerns that no one viewed him as an independent composer. In addition, his unsuccessful attempts at publication, due “in part because of his association with the radical movement of Liszt and Wagner,” left him wanting to move to Gohlis (a town just outside of
Leipzig) to finish his new opera, Samson, WoO. 20.37 Doris supported this decision, since he was
“being used in all sorts of ways that were going to be of no help whatsoever for his future development.”38 In addition to spending “long evenings . . . drinking and arguing in bars,” Raff spent several weeks in jail due to an old debt from “his poverty stricken year of 1845” in
Switzerland.39 Raff never repaid the debt “as a matter of principle,” but he unfortunately missed a music festival he was to attend with Liszt, and a church position in Munich was taken by the time he was released from jail.40 Raff continued to work on Samson, and he completed only two large compositions: his Te Deum, WoO. 16, and an orchestrated version of Liszt’s Domine
Salvum Fac. He wrote both for the Grand Duke Karl Alexander’s ascension to the throne on
August 18, 1853.41
36 Alan Walker, Franz Liszt (Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1993), 8-9.
37 Deaville.
38 Raff, 111.
39 Ibid, 104.
40 Ibid, 105.
41 Ibid, 113.
19 Raff had admired Wagner since he first heard Lohengrin in 1850. Many considered Raff a “Wagnerian” during his life, and he had even arranged several of Wagner’s themes for piano.
Hans von Bülow, in a letter to Theodor Uhlig, described Raff “as an enthusiastic proponent of
Wagner’s opera, but also as in all likelihood an opponent of his writings.”42 Between 1853 and
1854, Raff wrote Die Wagnerfrage (The Wagner Question), a lengthy and critical review of
Lohengrin.43 This review made everyday life difficult for Raff, as he “was subjected to vicious attacks both verbally and in print”44 and alienated many Lisztians, including Liszt himself.
Scholars suspect that Raff wrote Die Wagnerfrage to distance himself from Wagner, the title
Wagnerian, and those associated with the Liszt camp. In January of 1856, Raff wrote another article describing “his opposition to the many aspects of the New Weimar Society” which prompted Liszt to question if Raff was trying to purposely distance himself from this group of composers.45 While Raff may have been trying to distance himself, musically, Raff wanted to combine “the best of their prescription for the future of music with a more academic regard for the forms and traditions of the past such as counterpoint, fugue and sonata form.” 46 While Raff
“clearly modelled his work on various predecessors (Mendelssohn, Schumann, Liszt),” he
“circumspectly adopted elements of the New German style.”47
42 Raff, 113.
43 Mark Thomas, “Life,” The Essential Raff Reference. Last modified 2017. http://www.raff.org/life/outline.htm
44 Raff, 115.
45 Ibid, 126
46 Thomas.
47 Deaville.
20 Despite the criticisms against him, Raff continued to produce many new compositions.
By the end of 1854, Raff completed his first symphony and planned to have a concert featuring only his compositions on April 20, 1855, in the Grand Ducal Theatre in Weimar. The concert consisted of performances of his First Symphony, WoO. 18; Die Liebesfee, a concert piece for violin and orchestra; Traumkönig und ssein Lieb, a piece for soprano and orchestra; and Psalm
121.48 The last piece Raff composed in Weimar was his String Quartet in D Minor, op. 77.
In the summer of 1855, Raff left Weimar to visit Doris in Wiesbaden where he composed
Dornröschen, WoO. 19, a large-scale choral-orchestral version of the “Sleeping Beauty” story.
Raff conducted the premiere of the work in the Court Theatre on May 24, 1856. Later that summer, there was a performance of his opera, König Alfred, on August 28, 1856. In the midst of these performances, Raff made the strategic decision to move to Wiesbaden. Not only did he have a respectable reputation, but Raff also did not have to live in the shadow of any other composer. While some in Weimar saw Raff’s departure as an insult, Liszt continued to support
Raff in his efforts and offered to help if he needed a recommendation.
Wiesbaden
Raff’s move to Wiesbaden in the summer of 1856 allowed a needed separation from
Liszt’s compositional presence, but Raff continued to struggle financially. Unfortunately, his income from his publications was not enough. In addition to writing for the Nassauische Zeitung as a music and theatre critic and giving private piano lessons, Raff secured “a position as a music teacher at the two largest girls’ schools in Wiesbaden, teaching harmony, and sometimes singing.”49 Raff capitalized on the age of his new students, writing both Suite de Morceaux pour
48 Raff later destroyed the First Symphony. Raff’s first symphony to receive an opus number was Symphony No. 1, op. 96, An das Vaterland (To the Fatherland).
21 les petites mains (Suite for Small Hands), op. 75, and Douze Morceaux à quatre mains (Twelve
Pieces for Four Hands), op. 82, which accommodated the skill level and hand size of his pupils.50
Raff spent the spring of 1857 orchestrating Samson and “turned towards other major projects, the results of which were the String Quartet No. 2, op. 90 and the Konzertstück for
Piano and Orchestra, Ode au Printemps, op. 76.”51 Raff only completed a few works during this year as he “concentrated on his teaching and journalistic work, establishing enough financial stability to enable him and Doris to wed.”52 Raff worked on several of his pieces for piano, but also completed his nationalistic Wachet auf!, op. 80, for men’s chorus and orchestra. The piece was well received due to its inherent nationalistic and unifying text. Raff spent years attempting to get Samson staged, but a plethora of musical and personnel difficulties derailed its premiere in
Wiesbaden. Other notable compositions between 1858 and 1860 include Cachoucha-
Caprice, op. 79, Am Gießbach, op. 88, the Fourth Piano Suite, op. 91, and the “most-played and best-known of Raff’s compositions . . . included in the Sechs Stücke für Geige mit
Klavierbegleitung op. 85” named Cavatine.53 Amid his constant work on his compositions, writing, and teaching, Raff married Doris in a small ceremony on March 9, 1859. The beginning of their marriage was difficult; the couple lost their first child, and Doris became very ill, eventually recovering after several weeks.
49 Raff, 141.
50 “Raff often gave French names to his piano pieces because it is a trend during the time. Raff changes this when the prevailing nationalistic movement in the latter half of the 18th century made it seem unpatriotic.” Raff, 144.
51 Thomas.
52 Ibid.
53 Raff, 145.
22 Between 1859 and 1862, Raff completed his Symphony No. 1, An das Vaterland (To the
Fatherland), op. 96. The program symphony depicts German life and ends with “a prophetic vision of future unity and glory” of Germany.54 Raff thought the symphony had promise, and he entered the composition in the Gesellschaft der Musickfreunde competition in Vienna. Out of thirty-two applicants, his composition received first prize. There was no monetary prize for winning, but the organization arranged the premiere of the work on April 22, 1863, in the
Musikereinsaal (the organization’s music hall), conducted by Josef Hellmesberger. The reception was tremendous. The audience did not stop their applause until Raff made an appearance on stage.55 The symphony received multiple performances within the next five years, and composers such as Brahms and Zellner attended rehearsals of the premiere. Not long after he won this competition, a music publisher informed Raff that his Deutschlands Auferstehung, op. 100, a choral-orchestral festival cantata set to a “poem by Müller von der Werra” commemorating the fifteenth anniversary of the Battle of Nations, was also awarded a prize.56 The premiere occurred on March 11, 1865, in Königsberg, conducted by Heinrich Laudien.57 His first symphony and the festival cantata were both published in 1864. These two prizes “catapulted [Raff] into the first rank of German composers, a position which he consolidated over the next ten years so that his fame would continue throughout his lifetime.”58
54 Raff, 147.
55 Ibid, 148.
56 Ibid,148.
57 Thomas and Schäfer, 183.
58 Thomas.
23 Prominence as a Composer
Between 1861 and 1866, Raff composed his second symphony, one orchestral suite, three concert overtures, twenty songs for men’s chorus, two piano trios, one string quartet, two violin sonatas, twelve vocal duets, and twenty-five pieces for piano. In 1865, Raff’s popular Ein feste
Burg ist unser Gott, op. 127, an overture to a drama about the Thirty Years’ War, “reached its final form . . . [and] was given its first performance on Palm Sunday, 25th March 1866.”59
The Raff family also went through changes in this decade. Raff’s father passed away in
1861, and Doris gave birth to a girl, Helene, in 1865. The death of Raff’s father was particularly difficult. Raff’s father did not approve of Raff’s career change in his younger years, and he watched him financially struggle for most of his life. It is unfortunate that his father did not get to see the height of Raff’s success as a composer. Doris’ father, Eduard, passed away in 1866, and both Joachim and Doris were deeply affected by his passing.
Wiesbaden was at war with Austria at the beginning of 1866. The Prussians were easily victorious over their ill-prepared opponents. This allowed the Prussians to annex German states that stood against them.60 Raff wrote De Profundis, op. 141, for orchestra and eight-part chorus, and it was the “first large-scale work [composed] after the war.”61 In addition to this sacred choral-orchestral work, Raff completed a set of four Renaissance-style Marian Antiphons, WoO.
27, a Pater Noster, WoO. 32, and an Ave Maria, WoO. 33, for a cappella chorus.
Raff spent 1869 working on two compositions: his third symphony, Im Walde, op. 153, and his comedic opera Dame Kobald, op. 154. Both works premiered in April of 1870 and were
59 Raff, 163.
60 Ibid, 166.
61 Ibid, 167.
24 popular, but his third symphony is one of the only Raff compositions still included in the symphonic oeuvre. Raff’s third symphony is a program symphony that beautifully depicts all the creatures and elements of the forest as a wanderer encounters them.
The Franco-Prussian War began in the middle of 1870 and concluded at the beginning of
1871. Raff had a slight stall in his career due to the war, but he continued to compose. He grew frustrated after the German victory over France; Raff did not like the “new Germany.” He had issue with those who were not patriotic and supportive of the German state before the war but suddenly found their patriotism after a great victory.62
Raff was incredibly productive in the years after the war. Between 1871 and 1876, Raff composed five symphonies, including his beloved Symphony No. 5, Lenore, op. 177, which premiered on December 13, 1872. This symphony was performed in every major concert hall in
Germany and was based on a nationalist ballad with the same name by Gottfried August Bürger
(1747–1794). “Lenore became so ingrained in German culture that, along with Raff’s symphony,
[it] spawned a play, a novel, an opera, an operetta, paintings, illustrations and other musical settings by composers, thus establishing it as a German national treasure.”63 Despite earlier criticisms by Liszt and others concerning his frequency of composition and publication, Raff believed his compositions were musically adequate.
Raff’s prolonged success as a composer was widespread. Both the Reale Instituto
Musicale of Florence and the Tonkünstlerverein of Dresden made Raff an honorary member; the
Philharmonic Society of New York, Società del Quarletto in Milan, Cäcilien-Verein in
62 Raff, 175.
63 A. Peter Brown, The Symphonic Repertoire, vol. 3, part A, The European Symphony from ca. 1800 to ca. 1930: Germany and the Nordic Countries (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2007), 870.
25 Wiesbaden, and Società internationale d’Incorraggiamento delle Arti in Naples all gave him various honors.64 The March 1875 issue of The Monthly Musical Times called Raff a “front rank”
German composer who stood with other “musical chiefs” such as Wagner and Brahms.65
Between 1870 and 1876, Raff wrote approximately sixty-two pieces of music; many are large, multi-movement works.
Raff enjoyed many successful years in Wiesbaden, but in 1876, a new, promising job offer to be the director of the newly established Dr. Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt was too good to pass. This position “afforded him more peace and quiet, freedom to compose, a steady income,” and Doris “would also be able to bid farewell to the stage.”66 Raff accepted the position, which came with a ten-year contract beginning in June of 1877 and an annual salary of seven thousand marks.67 Before leaving Wiesbaden, Raff began composing his Jahreszeiten, a cycle of four symphonies that each represent its own season. The first was Symphony No. 8, op.
205, Frühlingsklänge, or “Spring Sounds.”
In the summer of 1877, the Raff family moved to Frankfurt to attend to the needs of the conservatory. The organizational aspects, like appointing a teaching staff, selecting a building, creating a curriculum, and constructing a constitution, took a full year.68 The first home of the conservatory was in the Saalhof, one of the oldest buildings in Frankfurt, with a beautiful view of
64 Raff, 187-189.
65 Ebenezer Prout, “Raff’s Symphonies,” The Monthly Musical Record, V (1875): 31.
66 Raff, 202.
67 Ibid, 202.
68 Ibid, 208.
26 the river Main.69 The conservatory opened on September 25, 1878, and included faculty such as
Clara Schumann and famed singer Julius Stockhausen. It is evident that Raff put much thought into the educational outcomes for the students prior to opening the doors of the conservatory.
Raff, in his opening speech, notes, “we should not hide the fact that, with a few exceptions, the music being written today is growing in size rather than depth; and so we have a great task before us – we are to train the minds of the students entrusted to our care to recognize art which has substance and character and keep them away from everything that is superficial and vacuous.”70
While Raff was on staff at the conservatory, he “forbade the teachers and students from rehearsing and performing his music,” because he “recoiled at the thought of using his conservatory as some sort of propaganda machine that would promote him and his music.”71 The conservatory grew from 60 students to 123 students by the end of the first year. Raff cared deeply for all his students and worked selflessly to promote their success. Raff “started a composition class for women that ran parallel to the existing [class],” because his “view was that every thinking human being should be offered the opportunity to develop his or her abilities.”72
One of the students from this class was Mary Wurm (1860–1938), who was an English pianist and composer and “came to some prominence in both England and Germany.”73 Raff’s most famous pupil was Edward MacDowell (1860–1908), the famed American composer and pianist.
69 Raff, 208.
70 Ibid, 210.
71 Ibid, 215.
72 Ibid, 217.
73 Ibid, 217.
27 Raff thought he may have more time to compose during this period (1877–1882), but the responsibilities of running the conservatory kept him very busy. Nonetheless, Raff was still productive, completing his last three symphonies, two comedic operas, four orchestral preludes to Shakespeare plays, a suite for piano and violin, and the choral-orchestral works Die Sterne and
Die Tageszeiten. The largest project of this period is his oratorio Welt-Ende - Gericht - Neue
Welt, op. 212, which premiered on January 17, 1882, in Weimar.74 The oratorio uses text from the book of Revelation, chapters five, six, twenty, and twenty-one; the book of Isaiah; and the book of Psalms, and it depicts the end of the world, judgement, and the birth of a new world. The piece was very successful and received numerous performances after publication in 1883.
In the spring of 1882, Raff became weak and ill after a serious heart episode. A doctor told Raff that he had a severe heart condition, and Raff’s health continued to decline until the condition caused his death on the evening of June 24, 1882. His funeral was two days later, when
Raff was laid to rest in the Frankfurt Cemetery. Shortly after his death, Hans von Bülow, his dear friend, started the Raff Society, whose goals were to organize concerts of Raff’s music and raise funds to erect a memorial to Raff in Frankfurt. Raff’s obituary from the Musical Times noted that
“Raff was a most prolific composer in nearly every branch of the musical art,” and referred to him as an “accomplished artist whom music at the present day can ill afford to lose.”75
74 Raff, 233.
75 "Obituary: Joseph Joachim Raff." The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular 23, no. 473, 1882, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3358442. 393.
28 CHAPTER 3
UNACCOMPANIED AND A CAPPELLA WORKS FOR CHORUS
Overview
Raff’s collection of unaccompanied and a cappella works for chorus consists of forty part-songs for tenor-bass chorus and mixed chorus, one song included in a German songbook, six motets, and two movements of an incomplete mass. These compositions are the most obscure of his works. As evidenced in Helene Raff’s biography, Raff enjoyed writing for larger forces and his most substantial compositions are for chamber orchestra, full orchestra, and orchestra plus chorus and vocal soloists. Like many of Raff’s works for piano, works for small ensembles, lieder, and arrangements of other composers’ works, these compositions suffer from lack of historical and contextual information. To provide contextual information for Raff’s compositional choices, it is worthwhile to explore prominent trends in nineteenth-century
German music making.
The Role of Nineteenth-Century German Part-Songs on German National Identity
German lieder and part-songs played a vital role in the development of the German national identity in the nineteenth century. Poets like Herder, Schiller, and Goethe provided the text for a tremendous amount of volkslied (folksongs) that were a “visible player in the struggle to construct German nationalism.”76 These songs began to flourish through an array of musical outlets, most predominantly in male singing societies, or Liedertafel.
76 Celia Applegate and Pamela Potter, eds., Music and German National Identity. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002), 108.
29 After the German Campaign of 1813 (War of Liberation), when German forces were victorious in liberating the German states, the German people had a strong sense of pride and unity. Applegate notes in her book, Music and German National Identity, as follows:
The male [choral] medium itself provides a ready-made emblem for unity, for the ensemble can be readily taken to represent a community of citizens united against the exercise of arbitrary force and oppression . . . when the whole ensemble proceeds in rhythmic unison and block chordal style, the favorite texture in these pieces, the representation of unity is complete.77
The popularity of the part-song continued to grow throughout the nineteenth century, as evidenced by the number of composers who wrote in this style and the many song festivals dedicated to it, like the Männergesangfest (Male Singing Festival) of 1846, of which Raff was a judge.
Raff continued this tradition in his forty songs for men’s and mixed chorus. While there is little concrete evidence for his motivation to write these compositions, we know that Raff both attended and judged male-choral singing festivals and that he had a deep sense of patriotism. A discussion of Raff’s collection of part-songs follows this section, and the musical detail and textual content demonstrate his patriotism and adherence to stylistic features common to German
Romanticism.
Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor, op. 97
Raff composed Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor (Ten Songs for Male Choir), op. 97, between 1853 and 1863 while living in Weimar and Wiesbaden. Currently, the only available editions are the original Kahnt editions, published in 1865 in two collections (five songs in each collection). The Mozart Society of Gotha sponsored op. 97, and Raff dedicated the pieces to the
77 Applegate. 67.
30 Liedertafel of Dresden.78 There is no information regarding the premiere of the pieces. A performance of op. 97 is approximately thirteen minutes long, and Raff set it for unaccompanied voices (two tenor and two bass voices).79 Raff uses a different poet for each piece. There are several general unifying textual elements, but the most prominent are themes of landscape and love. Raff was both strategic and clever in his selection of texts for op. 97. Movement three,
“Morgenständchen,” begins with “Get up, and open the window quickly,” and the fourth movement, “Untreue,” continues the theme with “Look, the window is still open.”
These songs follow many of the same musical tenets of other Romantic part-songs. Raff uses mostly homophonic or paired voicing textures with a combination of simple strophic, binary, ternary, and song forms in each piece. Raff prioritizes a syllabic approach to setting the text (Example 3.1).
Example 3.1 “Untreue,” mm. 1 & 2
78 Mark Thomas and Albert Schäfer, A Catalogue of the Music of Joachim Raff, (Self- published, 2011), 202–203.
79 Op. 97, nos. 4, 6, 7, 8 all have small divisi in one or two voices that last only a few measures in each instance.
31 The result of this is a speech-like texture throughout much of the collection and only rare occurrences of extended melismatic sections.
Of the ten pieces, the first song, “Trinklied,” stands out from the rest due to its strophic form, interesting melody, longer length, and textual content. Many of the selections are short, often only lasting about one minute, making it difficult for modern choirs to program.
“Trinklied” is much longer, and the form makes the learning process accessible to choirs of varying ability levels. Furthermore, “Trinklied” is a drinking song that promotes unity and brotherhood. Raff takes special care to highlight nationalistic text. Example 3.2 shows the only moment that deviates from the almost exact repetition of the verse. Raff slows the tempo, uses a fortissimo dynamic, and contrasts a temporary tonicization of G♯ major against the primary A major to highlight “Für Deutschland” (for Germany) in the height of the penultimate phrase.
Example 3.2 “Trinklied,” mm. 33–36
32 There are several logistical and performance considerations for these pieces. Due to the rhythmic, harmonic, and textual content, these pieces are most appropriate for collegiate or adult ensembles. While choirs of various sizes will find success in programming these works, due to the large ranges of some of the parts, it may be necessary to alter the beginning key to suit their singers’ ranges.
Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor, op. 122
Raff composed the second set of songs for men’s chorus, Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor
(Ten Songs for Male Choir), op. 122, at the same time as op. 97, between 1853 and 1863 in
Weimar and Wiesbaden. The Mozart Society of Gotha also sponsored op. 122, and Raff also dedicated these pieces to the Liedertafel of Dresden. Kahnt published the songs in 1867 in two collections (five songs in each collection).80 This set is considerably longer than op. 97 and lasts approximately twenty minutes in performance. Each piece is unaccompanied and set for two tenor and two bass voices, with considerable bass-baritone divisi in no. 3, “Frühlingslied,” and in no. 10, “Gruß.” Like op. 97, these pieces are most suitable for collegiate and adult chorus, but an advanced high school chorus may find a few pieces to be accessible and content appropriate. The poets represented in this collection are among the most well-known poets of the era. The influential Enlightenment philosopher and poet Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729–1781) wrote the text to no. 4, “Die Beredtsamkeit;” the prolific writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–
1832) authored the text for no. 5, “Wanderers Nachtlied;” and the widely popular Heinrich
Heine (1797–1856), also used by Schubert and Schumann, wrote the text to no. 6, “In der brust.”
This set is similar to op. 97 in use of form, harmony, paired voicing, and syllabic setting of the text. In this collection, Raff uses points of imitation or imitative sequences prominently in
80 Thomas and Schäfer, pg. 202. 33 three different selections: nos. 4, 5, and 9. The imitative sequences separate large sections and highlight relevant text. Example 3.3 shows the separation between the A and B sections in no. 4,
“Die Beredtsamkeit,” and how the moving vocal lines paint the text “Wir ermahnen, streiten, lehren,” or “We admonish, argue, lecture.” It is important to note that this text follows a quatrain that explains the reason they “admonish” and “argue” is that they drink the “Rhine wine” at dinner. Raff pits the voices against each other, and the slurs may be intended to create the effect of drunkenness.
Example 3.3 “Die Beredtsamkeit,” mm. 14–22
34 Raff uses the voices again to create an effect in no. 1, “Drescherlied.” “Drescherlied,” or
“Thresher Song,” references a common children’s song about threshing (the process of separating grain into edible and inedible components). Raff uses “klipp und klapp” in constant succession in the lower three voices, which mimics either the sound of livestock walking on grain or the sound of a threshing machine; both were common methods of threshing (Example
3.4).
Example 3.4 “Drescherlied,” mm. 14–17
No. 9, “Abendsegen” or “Evening Blessing,” is unique in text and compositional style.
The text, by Michel Weise (dates unknown), is a prayer of thanks and asks “Lord Jesus” to protect the believer from the “evil enemy.” Raff uses this text as an opportunity to set this song as a hymn with simple homophonic texture and harmony in the beginning, complete with an ending “Amen” (Example 3.5 and Example 3.6).
35
Example 3.5 “Abendsegen,” mm. 1–8
36
Example 3.6 “Abendsegen,” mm. 51–57
The same logistical and performance suggestions from op. 97 apply to these pieces. Due to the more substantial divisi, chorus leaders should be careful to either have enough singers to handle the divisi or allow singers to change parts to ensure balance.
Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor, op. 195
Raff composed his third set of songs for men’s chorus, Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor
(Ten Songs for Male Choir), op. 195, between 1860 and 1870 during his time in Wiesbaden.
Kahnt published the songs in two collections (five songs in each collection) in 1876.81 Each piece is unaccompanied and set for two tenor and two bass voices with short divisi in nos. 1, 9, and 10. The lengths of the pieces vary greatly. Some pieces, like no. 5, “Winterlied,” are approximately thirty to forty seconds in length, and others, like no. 2, “Hirtenlied,” are approximately three minutes in length. The entire collection lasts approximately fourteen
81 Thomas and Schäfer, 203. 37 minutes. Due to the difficulty of the rhythm, harmonic material, and vocal range, these pieces are most appropriate for collegiate and adult choirs.
Raff uses a wide range of poets in this set, most notably Friedrich von Schiller (1759–
1805) in nos. 1, 2, and 3. The collection includes common romantic themes such as nature and love with additional themes of prayer and royalty. “Kommt Brüder, trinkt froh mit mir,” no. 4, and “Kosakentrinklied,” no. 7, are both lighthearted and comedic drinking songs. Both pieces have notable endings. No 4, “Kommt Brüder, trinkt froh mit mir,” adds emphasis through repeated text and sharp articulation to the text “schenkt ein,” or “give in” (Example 3.7).
Example 3.7 “Kommt Brüder, trinkt froh mit mir,” mm. 21–25
In no. 7, “Kosakentrinklied,” Raff first declares how alcohol “makes us wise,” and then reserves the most homophonic section of the piece to declare how “fasting makes you dumb”
(Example 3.8). The same logistical and performance considerations from the last set also apply to this set.
38
Example 3.8 “Kosakentrinklied,” mm. 49–56
Zehn Gesänge für Gemischten Chor, op. 198
Raff composed his last set of part-songs, Zehn Gesänge für Gemischten Chor (Ten Songs for Mixed Choir), op. 198, between 1860 and 1874 in Wiesbaden. Seitz published op. 198 in
1875 in five collections (two songs in each collection), and Ries & Erler (formerly Seitz) republished the editions in 1991. Raff dedicated the collection to the “Lieder Friends of
Königsberg.”82 The entire collection, translated into English by Rev. J. Troutbeck, appears in volume XVII of Novello’s Part-Song Book: A Collection of Four Part-Songs and Madrigals, published in 1880. Each piece is unaccompanied and set for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voices, and nos. 1, 8, and 10 have divisi throughout. Unlike op. 195, which Raff composed around the same time, this set has consistency in length among the pieces. The entire set lasts approximately
82 It is not clear if the Lieder Friends of Königsberg is the same organization as the Liedertafel of Königsberg; Thomas and Schäfer, 203.
39 nineteen minutes. Of all of Raff’s part-songs, this collection contains the most accessible music for a wide range of ability levels. Nos. 1, 7, 9, and 10 are appropriate for high-school voices, and every song is suitable for collegiate choirs or adult choirs.
In contrast to the rest of the part-songs, this collection uses only the poetry of Franz
Alfred Muth (1839–1890). Muth was a poet, writer, and philosopher, and he served the Catholic church in several capacities as part of the clergy and as an administrator. Muth was incredibly popular in the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century.
In addition to Raff, composers such as Joseph Rheinberger (1839–1901), Max Reger (1873–
1916), Franz Abt (1819–1885), and Horatio Parker (1863–1919) also composed music with text by Muth.
Op. 198 contains similar compositional features to the other collections of part-songs, such as the use of homophony, imitation, word painting, and paired voicing. In this collection,
Raff uses highly contrasting harmonic material to delineate sections and emphasize text. In
“Maitag,” no. 9, Raff aligns each large section with the changing textual themes. The A section primarily includes elements of spring, such as the “flourishing fields,” the “warm[er] air,” and flowers in the “golden sunshine;” the B section changes themes and begins with “Zum Herzen zieht der Herrgott ein . . .” (“The Lord draws into the heart . . .”). In measures 40 and 41, Raff uses this change in theme to transition from F major to D♭ major quickly. While the key seems distant, the chromatic movement from the C to the D♭ in the alto voice and the common tone F in the soprano and bass voices make the transition elegant (Example 3.9).
“In Mondenglanz,” no. 6, contains a feature similar to the one in “Maitag.” Raff quickly modulates from E♭ major to C major in the B section by using the E♭ in the bass voice in
40
Example 3.9 “Maitag,” mm. 37–42
measure 32 as a common tone in a f♯°7. Raff uses the diminished chord to transition to a G major triad in beat four of the same measure. Four bars later, Raff transitions to D major through the secondary dominant, A7. This sequence gives the phrase color, and the listener can “hear” the
“flowers whispering” gently in the night (Example 3.10).
In dulci jubilo!, WoO. 41A83
Raff composed In dulci jubilo! in 1874 in Wiesbaden for inclusion in an edition of the
Allgemeines Reichs-Commersbuch Für Deutsche Studenten, published by Breitkopf & Härtel in
83 I am using the cataloging system used by Joachim Raff Gesellschaft and http://www.raff.org. Joachim Raff Gesellschaft and http://www.raff.org, and its author Mark Thomas, are leading scholars and authorities on the cataloging of Raff’s works.
41
Example 3.10 “In Mondenglanz,” mm. 31–40
1875. A Commersbuch or Kommerbuch was a book of songs, often used by student associations or organizations, that were appropriate for communal singing.84 In dulci jubilo! is a short, four- verse strophic song written for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voices. The song, with all verses,
84 Lisa Feurzeig and Josef Gersbach, Deutsche Lieder Für Jung Und Alt. (Middleton, Wisconsin: A-R Editions, 2002) 2–3.
42 lasts approximately one minute and uses both Latin and German text. The Latin text has themes of “rejoicing” and “happiness,” while the German text refers to “drinking” and themes of community. The piece is simple and accessible for beginning four-part choruses and above.
Cecilian Movement of the Nineteenth Century
Raff’s sacred compositions for a cappella chorus are stylistically similar to each other.
Raff’s approach to these compositions was to model them after Renaissance motets, often using polyphonic texture, imitation, traditional canti firmi, and various forms of responsorial writing.
As in his part-songs, there is no direct information regarding the impetus for this choice in style.
One possible explanation lies within the Cecilian Movement during the second half of the nineteenth century. The Cecilian Movement was a reaction to the “liberalization of the
Enlightenment,” and those in the movement “sought to restore traditional religious feeling and authority of the church.”85 The tenets of the Council of Trent regarding music being subservient to a clear text were at the forefront of the movement. This increased publication of sacred
Renaissance vocal music and their use within Catholic services.86 This movement influenced the writing of composers like Liszt and Bruckner, and each one of Raff’s a cappella compositions coincide with the Cecilian Movement.
Dr. Avrohom Leichtling, in his essay about the historical context regarding Raff’s sacred a cappella compositions, states the following theory on why they remained unpublished:
85 Siegfried Gmeinwieser, "Cecilian Movement," Grove Music Online. (Oxford University Press, 2011). https://doi org.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/10.1093/ gmo/9781561592630.article.05245
86 James Garratt, "Prophets Looking Backwards: German Romantic Historicism and the Representation of Renaissance Music." Journal of the Royal Musical Association 125, no. 2 (2000): 164–204.
43 The reason for Raff’s withholding these pieces is not hard to imagine, given his status as a well-known practitioner of “Modern” German romanticism: any large-scale incorporation of reconfigured and undisguised elements from the Italian Renaissance in his compositions would have been seen as decidedly anachronistic and totally out of step with the times, and would likely have been misunderstood. Interestingly, Raff would face the diametrically opposite stylistic problem in connection with the original version of his Eighth Symphony (“Der Winter”) – published posthumously as his Symphony #11 – which he likely viewed as too forward-looking for audiences of the late 1870’s, when it 87 was written.
Four Marian Antiphons, WoO. 27
Raff composed Four Marian Antiphons, WoO. 27, in May of 1868 while he was in
Wiesbaden.88 The collection includes text setting of the well-known Marian antiphons, “Alma redemptoris mater,” “Ave regina coelorum,” “Regina coeli,” and “Salve Regina.” Raff initially used op. 142, but he instead used this opus number for his Fantasie for Piano. There is no information regarding a premiere during Raff’s lifetime, but the “official premiere . . . was given on November 5th, 1999 in Alzenau by the Kammerchor Maulbronn under the direction of
Juergen Budday.”89 Each piece is for a cappella chorus(es), and the entire collection lasts approximately fifteen minutes. The pieces remained unpublished until Edition Nordstern published an edition in 1999. The liturgical period of the May devotions to the Blessed Virgin includes the text of these antiphons. Raff composed these settings during this liturgical period, which may suggest that he composed it for this occasion.
87 Avrohom Leichtling, “Neo-classicism and Raff’s works for five-, six-, and eight-part unaccompanied chorus,” Liner notes for Joachim Raff (1822–1882). Sterling CDS 1098-2, 2012, compact disc. 15-16.
88 Thomas and Schäfer, 203–204.
89 Joachim Raff and Volker Tosta, ed., Vier marianische Antiphonen nach dem cantus firmus der römischen Kirche Motetten für fünf-, sechs- und achtstimmigen gemischten Chor a capella, WoO 27. (Stuttgart: Edition Nordstern, 2001). vii.; It is suggested that these pieces were composed for church performance.
44 Raff modeled these compositions using stylistic tenets of the Renaissance motet, such as the inclusion of a cantus firmus, polyphony, points of imitation, and responsorial writing; the 2/1 meter of each piece is the modern equivalent of tempus imperfectum, minor prolation. Raff intended to create a Renaissance motet through the lens of Romanticism. One distinct difference between the Renaissance motet and these antiphons is that Raff provides phrasing, shaping, and intensity with the use of slurs, articulations, and dynamics.
“Alma redemptoris mater,” no. 1. “Alma redemptoris mater” calls for two sopranos, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass voices. Raff begins the antiphon with a small paraphrase of the original fourteenth-century cantus firmus, starting in the first soprano voice and repeated in the tenor voice (Example 3.11).
Example 3.11 “Alma redemptoris mater,” mm. 1–7
45
Example 3.11 (continued)
The composition is through-composed, and each phrase contains one stanza of text. The piece includes a predominantly polyphonic texture, but Raff often transitions back to homophony at the ends of phrases to accent important text, like “Redemptoris mater” (Mother of the Redeemer) or “et Stella” (the stars) or “virgo” (virgin). The piece begins in G major and often transitions between D major and E minor. The vocal ranges are accessible, but the first soprano part has a high tessitura, often staying above C5. The rest of the vocal lines fall within reasonable range expectations for developed singers.
“Ave regina coelorum,” no. 2. “Ave regina coelorum” is set for soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass voices. The piece is through-composed and begins in B♭ major, with transitions between G minor and E♭ major. Raff uses both polyphonic and homophonic writing interchangeably. Even in the polyphonic sections, Raff takes care to pair voices together. Raff
46 often pairs the bass and baritone voices together while the other voices have staggered entrances.
There are clear points of imitation at the beginning, which highlight the original cantus firmus, and each new section is delineated by new stanzas of text. The second-to-last stanza begins
“vale” (farewell), and Raff uses terraced forte entrances for each voice (except for the alto).
These staggered “farewells” color the text before the final cadence. While Raff employs stylistic features common to Renaissance motets, the cadential treatment shows his more modern roots.
4 7 Example 3.12 shows the cadence of the first phrase, using a progression of ii 3–V –I.
Example 3.12 “Ave regina coelorum,” mm. 7–10
A perfect authentic cadence is not uncommon in Renaissance writing, although composers of this period would not have used this terminology. The progression and the way the alto chromatically descends into the cadence are similar to a cadential feature of a hymn. This more homophonic
47 texture also contrasts the polyphonic texture that both precedes and follows the section. The vocal range of each part is accessible in all but the bass voice. There are multiple occurrences of vocal lines extending below the bass staff to an E♭ 2. The piece is most appropriate for adult or collegiate choirs with capable basses.
“Regina coeli,” no. 3. “Regina coeli” is set for two soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voices.
The piece is through-composed, and there are clear musical delineations for each new section of text. This piece is interesting in its division of labor. Raff uses the top three treble voices to begin each phrase polyphonically. Once these voices begin, the tenor and bass voices sing the cantus firmus in parallel octaves. The top three voices are highly decorative and often take each
“alleluia” and create long melismatic sections before the cadence of each section. Raff uses a major VII at the beginning of the last “alleluia” to contrast against the primarily G major texture.
This piece is the most difficult of the antiphons. The rhythm in the upper voices is difficult, and the long melismatic “alleluia(s)” are difficult to sing and do not allow many opportunities for breathing, leaving the choir to stagger for long periods. In addition, the parts are often disjunct, adding to the vocal difficulty. The first soprano line sits above D4 for most of the composition, which is taxing on the voice, while the bass voice also requires a low extension.
While the range is not prohibitive in the bass voice, the cantus firmus requires a lot of sound in the bottom voice to be heard through the upper voices. This piece is appropriate for adult choirs, preferably with more than fifty members to handle the vocal demands.
“Salve Regina,” no. 4. “Salve Regina” is set for double chorus. The first choir comprises two soprano and two alto voices, and the second choir comprises two tenor and two bass voices.
Raff sets this piece in F major and transitions temporarily into C major. The piece splits into six similar sections, one section per sentence of text. Choir one begins each section, followed by
48 choir two in a responsorial fashion. While choir two sings each sentence of text, choir one polyphonically or in sequence sings a series of “Salve Regina” (Hail, Queen).90 Like other antiphons in this set, the range and tessitura of the vocal lines are prohibitive. Both the first soprano and second alto use extreme ranges that often sit outside the comfortable range of adult singers. The range of the tenor line is large and often crosses with the second alto part.
“Kyrie” and “Gloria,” WoO. 31
The “Kyrie” and the “Gloria” are two a cappella movements from an unfinished mass written for the church in Lachen, Switzerland. Raff wrote these two movements in 1869 in
Wiesbaden, and they were never published.91 Both movements are for two sopranos, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass voices in C major. The “Kyrie” movement lasts approximately two minutes and thirty seconds, while the “Gloria” lasts approximately five minutes, although the “Gloria” is incomplete. The manuscript ends with the text “Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis,” leaving the last section, “Tu solus . . . ,” absent of musical setting. Since these movements are unpublished, the only available source is a draft. Evidence in the manuscript suggests Raff wrote the draft. No signature exists, but the last two pages of the document contain sketches of the
“Gloria.” The sketch includes musical detail that matches the draft of the “Gloria” (Figure 3.1).
The “Kyrie” movement is similar in style to Raff’s antiphons other motets. Raff uses points of imitation and a primarily polyphonic texture to mimic the trends of the Renaissance.
Raff uses an ABA´ structure to set the three sections of text (“Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison,
Kyrie eleison”). There is no clear motivic delineation between the A and B sections besides the
90 This occurs in every section except the first.
91 Thomas and Schäfer, 204. 49 Sketch
Draft
Figure 3.1 Comparison of sketch material and draft material in “Gloria” from WoO. 31 change in text and the harmonic material. Raff begins the A section in C major and transitions through G major before beginning the B section in A minor. There is a clear delineation for the last A´ section both in text and motivic separation. The original motive from the first A section returns in the original key for the last A´ section.
The “Gloria” movement deviates from Raff’s dedication to the stylistic elements of
Renaissance sacred vocal music. Raff uses paired voicing and a primarily homophonic texture with a few voices that deviate from the homophonic rhythm. The “Gloria” is split into two sections. The first section is set in ABA´ form and begins in C major in cut time. Raff uses a
50 responsorial technique between the treble and bass voices throughout the first section, except for the first iteration of “bonae volum tatis,” which is polyphonic. The A section contains the text
“Gloria in excelis Deo. Et in terra pax,” which is repeated twice with the same motive. The B section, with the text “hominibus bonae voluntatis,” deviates from motivic interest and continues in a polyphonic style.92
Raff separates the first two lines in the “Gloria” from the rest of the text by transitioning into A♭ major and 6/4 time. This transition starts the section beginning with the text “Laudamus te . . .” This section includes the rest of the text of the Gloria, except for the last few stanzas mentioned earlier. Like before, Raff pairs most of the voices and reserves a few for decoration.
Raff divides this section into two main segments, the first reflecting praise (“Laudamus te”) and the second, more harmonically somber, depicting “Lamb of God” and “hear our prayer” sentiments.
While the harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic material, along with vocal capabilities, like necessary range, are accessible for collegiate and adult choirs, the six parts make balance an issue. Chorus leaders should take care to divide the choir equally for appropriate balance, which may require singers to switch from their assigned part.
Pater Noster, WoO. 32
Raff composed Pater Noster in 1869 in Wiesbaden. Raff initially gave Pater Noster the opus number 142, but he gave this opus number to another composition.93 Pater Noster remained unpublished until 2004 when Edition Nordstern released a modern edition. There is no
92 The B section also contains a small reiteration of the “Et in terra pax hominibus” text, but Raff leaves this stanza of text unfinished before the return of the A section.
93 Thomas and Schäfer, 204.
51 documented premiere of the work during Raff’s lifetime. The first recorded performance was by the “Tritonus” Chamber Choir of the “Landesjugendmusikakademie of Ochsenhausen under [the direction of] Klaus Brecht . . . at the 2004 Festival of Lake Constance (Bodenseefest).”94 As in his setting of “Salve Regina,” Raff sets this piece for double chorus, where chorus one is three soprano voices and one alto voice, and chorus two is two tenor and two bass voices.95 The Pater
Noster is one of Raff’s longest sacred a cappella compositions, at approximately seven and a half minutes long, and it is one of the most difficult. The first soprano voice has a broad range and has to ascend to high B♭ 5 and B5. Many of the other voices have extended ranges, as well. The ever-changing harmony, thick polyphonic texture, and complex rhythm add to the difficulty of the piece.
The piece is set in ABA´CA´´D form. While the piece is musically difficult, Raff takes great care to balance the composition through reoccurring motives and a variety of vocal textures
(Table 3.1). Stylistic details are similar to Renaissance writing, but some of the melodic sequences and harmonic detail are much more advanced. Section C is noticeably different from the B and D sections. Raff uses a chant-like feature along with homophonic and polyphonic textures. Another noticeable feature in the D section is the musical setting of the text “but deliver us from evil.” At the height of the composition, Raff terraces and overlaps each vocal entrance of
“deliver us from evil” with half-step suspensions that sound like a repetitive and terraced plea before the final “Amen.”
94 Raff, Joseph Joachim, and Volker Tosta. Pater noster: Motette für achtstimmigen gemischten Chor a capella: WoO 32. Ed. Nordstern, 2004. Pg. iv (translated by Alan H. Krueck)
95 While there are a few high extensions to E4, a mature first alto section easily negotiates the rest of the vocal line. It is unclear whether Raff set these pieces for that set of voices for the range or to achieve a specific timbre. 52 Table 3.1 Graphic analysis of form, text, and texture in Pater Noster, WoO. 32 Section A B A´ C Subsections a b a b Measures mm. 1–11 mm. 11–17 mm. 17–38 mm. 38–45 mm. 45–69 mm. 69–96
Text Pater Noster, sanctificetur Adveniat Pater Noster, Fiat Panem nostrum qui es in nomen regnum qui es in voluntas quotidianum da caelis, tuum. tuum.* caelis, tua, sicut nobis hodie, in caelo et in terra. Primary Homophonic/ Polyphonic Polyphonic/ Homophonic Polyphonic/ Homophonic/ Texture/ Paired Homophonic Paired Imitative/ Compositional Voices Voices Chant-like Features syllabic writing
(Analysis Continued) Section A´´ D Subsections a b c Measures mm. 96–103 mm. 103–118 mm. 118–144 mm. 144–159
Text Pater Noster, qui et dimitte nobis Et ne nos inducas in sed libera nos a malo. es in caelis, debita nostra sicut et tentationem, sed Amen. nos dimittimus libera nos a malo. debitoribus nostris.
Primary Homophonic Polyphonic Homophonic/Paired Homophonic/Paired Texture/ Voices Voices Compositional Features * This section includes two small homophonic iterations of “Pater Noster.”
Ave Maria, WoO. 33
Raff composed Ave Maria, an a cappella motet, in 1869 in Wiesbaden. Raff originally marked the score with the opus number 144, but later used this opus number on another composition.96 Currently, the only available edition is by Edition Nordstern, from 1999. The motet is set for double choir and is approximately eight minutes in length. Each choir consists of two soprano, tenor, and bass voices. Compared to the Pater Noster, the harmonic transitions and rhythmic dichotomy between the parts are much more fluid. Ave Maria is through-composed and is divided into four sections. Raff uses an abundance of techniques common in Renaissance
96 Thomas and Schäfer, 204. 53 writing. Most noticeable is the responsorial nature between choir one and choir two. Raff also pairs all treble voices and all bass voices for the text “the fruit of thy womb, Jesus” in a responsorial fashion.
The voicing is a logistical difficulty for modern choirs, which usually include relatively balanced soprano, alto, tenor, and bass sections. The second soprano part of choir one is the most difficult to negotiate. It spans from low B3 to high F♯5. This vocal line generally lies within a range easily negotiated by an alto section, but the higher extensions to the top of the treble staff are more troublesome. A solution to this problem is to have an alto section sing the line and allow a small group of sopranos to switch lines to support the altos. Many altos are able to extend as high as the part requires, but the balance or desired timbre of the vocal line may be left with something to be desired. The second soprano line of the second choir can and should be listed as an alto line. The low extensions to A2 needs alto voices, and this voice part only extends upward to a B4, which is still comfortable for many altos. Besides the logistical difficulty concerning the voicing, the composition is accessible to large adult or collegiate choirs.
54 CHAPTER 4
WORKS FOR CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA
Overview
Raff’s collection of works for chorus and orchestra consists of eight short, single- movement compositions, two multi-section compositions, and seven multi-movement works, including one oratorio.97 These compositions are the most prominent of Raff’s choral compositions. Raff composed these works in the last thirty-five years of his life in Weimar,
Wiesbaden, and Frankfurt, with only one composition, Psalm 121, WoO. 8, composed in
Stuttgart. In addition to the sizable forces required in the chorus and orchestra, many of the compositions also call for soloists. The varied collection of compositions focuses on religious and nationalistic themes, among other subject matter.
Te Deum, WoO. 16
In 1853, Raff was living in Weimar working for Liszt after leaving Hamburg a few years prior. Raff spent his time working as Liszt’s assistant and working on his own opera, Samson,
WoO. 20. He wrote the Te Deum, commissioned in the spring of 1853, for “the accension [sic] to the throne of Grand Duke Karl Alexander on 28th August 1853” in the “Stadkirche in Weimar.”98
The duke was a proponent of the arts and supported Liszt and Wagner along with poets like
97 Psalm 121, WoO. 8 (1848), Lauda Sion and Stabat Mater, WoO. 30a (1868) are lost, and Raff’s original edition of An die Künstler, WoO. 16c, is unavailable. These works are not included in this study. In addition, Raff’s arrangements of Liszt’s Der Entfesselte, WoO. 14a (1850), and Domine Salvum Fac Regem, WoO. 15b (1853), are not included as this study only covers original compositions.
98 Raff, 113; Thomas and Schäfer, 128. It is unclear who commissioned the work. The original manuscript may have additional details.
55 Goethe. Later, the duke served as the sponsor for the Allgemeine Deutsche Musicverein (General
German Musical Society) of Munich founded by Liszt, the first president of the society.99 In addition to the Te Deum, Raff arranged Liszt’s Dominum Salvum Fac Regem, WoO. 15b for wind orchestra, men’s chorus, and tenor soloist for the ceremony for the ascension of the
Duke.100 The Te Deum opened the festivities under Raff’s baton.101 The work lasts approximately eleven minutes, and the orchestra consists of two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, two trombones, bass trombone, timpani, strings, and
SATB chorus. The piece remained unpublished until 2015 when Edition Nordstern released a modern performance edition.
The Te Deum text was “composed at the beginning of the 5th century” and “is first mentioned in the Rule of St. Caesarius, A.D. 502.”102 The text is used at “the end of Matins on
Sundays and feast days except the Sundays of Advent and those Sundays from Septuagesima to
Palm Sunday,” and “follows or replaces the last responsory and is followed immediately by
Lauds, except on Christmas day when it is followed by the prayer and the first Mass of the
Nativity.”103 Along with its frequent liturgical use, the Te Deum is a popular text, commonly set to music by a variety of composers.
99 C. A. B. “The Allgemeine Deutsche Musikverein in Munich.” The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular 34, no. 606 (1893): 463–465. doi:10.2307/3364196.
100 Thomas and Schäfer, 181–182.
101 Ibid, 128–129.
102 Ron Jeffers, Translations and Annotations of Choral Repertoire, Vol. 1, Sacred Latin Texts (Corvallis, OR: Earthsongs), 217–220.
103 Jeffers, 220. 56 Raff does not use the complete text of the Te Deum, rather he edits the text to suit the accession of the duke. Raff uses the first six verses, which represent most of the “ancient hymn to God the Father,” with verses five and six, which feature “the Tersanctus” (Trisagion, or Thrice
Holy) (Table 4.1). 104
Table 4.1 Text comparison and usage in Te Deum, WoO. 16.
Verse Latin Text English Translation (Poetic) 1 Te déum laudámus:* We praise thee, O God; te dóminum confitémur. we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. 2 Te aetérnum Pátrem ómnis térra venerátur All the earth doth worship thee, the father everlasting. 3 Tíbi ómnes Angeli, To thee all angels, tíbi Caéli et univérsae Potestátes, the heavens, and all the powers, 4 tíbi Chérubim et Séraphim the cherubim and seraphim incessábili vóce proclamant: proclaim without ceasing: 5 Sánctus: Sánctus: Sánctus: Holy, holy, holy, Dóminus Déus Sábaoth. Lord, God of hosts! 6 Pléni sunt coéli et térra The heavens and the earth are full maiestátis glóriae túae. of the majesty of thy glory. 7 Te gloriósus Apostolórum chorus, The glorious chorus of the apostles, 8 te Prophetárum laudábilis numerus, The admirable company of the prophets, 9 te Mártyrum candidátus láudat exércitus. The white-robed army of martyrs praises thee. 10 Te per órbem terrárum Throughout the whole world sáncta confítetur Ecclésia, the holy church gives praise to thee, 11 Pátrem imménsae majestátis: the father of infinite majesty; 12 Venerándum túum vérum, et únicum Fílium: they praise your admirable, true, and only son; 13 Sánctum quoque Paráclitum Spíritum. and also the Holy Spirit, our advocate. 14 Tu Rex glóriae, Chríste. You are the King of glory, O Christ. 15 Tu Pátris sempitérnus es Fílius. You are the eternal Son of the Father. 16 Tu ad liberándum susceptúrus hóminem, To deliver us, you became human, non horruísti Vírginis úterum. and did not disdain the Virgin’s womb. 17 Tu devícto mórtis acúleo, Having blunted the sting of death, Aperuísti credéntibus régna coelórum. You opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. 18 Tu ad déxteram Déi sédes, You sit at the right hand of God, in glória Pátris. in the glory of the Father. 19 Júdex créderis ésse ventúrus. You are believed to be the Judge who will come. 20 Te ergo quaésumus, Therefore, we beseech you, túis fámulis súbveni, come to the aid of your servants, quos pretíoso sánguine redemísti. whom you have redeemed by your precious blood. 21 Aetérna fac cum sánctis túis Make them to be numbered with thy saints in glória numerári. in glory everlasting. 22 Sálvum fac pópulum túum, Dómine, Save your people, O Lord, et bénedic haereditáti túae. and bless your inheritance.
Salvum fac ducem nostrum, Domine, Save our duke (or leader), O Lord, 22R** et bénedic haereditáti súae. and bless his inheritance.
104 Jeffers, 218.
57 Table 4.1 (continued)
Verse Latin Text English Translation (Poetic) 23 Et rége éos, et extólle íllos usque in aetérnum. Govern them, and extol them from now into eternity.
23R Et rége éum, et extólle éum usque in aetérnum. Govern him, and extol him from now into eternity. 24 Per síngulos díes, benedícimus té; Day by day, we bless thee; 25 et laudámus nómen túum in saéculum, and we praise your name forever, et in saéculum saéculi. yea, forever and ever. 26 Dignáre, Dómine, díe ísto Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day sine peccáto nos custodíre. without sin. 27 Miserére nóstri, Dómine, Have mercy upon us, O Lord, miserére nóstri. Have mercy upon us. 28 Fíat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos, Let thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, quemádmodum sperávimus in te. as we have trusted in thee. 29 In te Dómine, sperávi: In thee, O Lord, I have trusted: non confúndar in aetérnum. (Amen) let me never be confounded. (Amen) *Bolded text is text included in Raff’s Te Deum. All other text was not included in the composition. ** The capital “R” stands for Raff. This signifies Raff’s own version of the text.
Verses one through six represent the entire A section of the Te Deum. The transition in the B section uses the first line of verse 20, “Te ergo quaesumus” or “Therefore, we beseech you.” The original verse 22 references God, but Raff changes the text to shift focus to the duke.
The B section begins with the text “Salvum fac ducem nostrum, Domine, et bénedic haereditáti súae” or “Save our duke (or leader), O Lord, and bless his inheritance,” a deviation from the original text that asks God to “save thy people” instead of the duke. Verse 23 shifts the focus of the text again by changing “govern them, and extol them” to “govern him, and extol him.” Raff omits verses 24 through 26 and completes the B section with verses 27 and 28. Raff begins the
A´ section with verse 29 and reuses text from both the A and B sections before the final “Amen.”
Raff’s Te Deum has balance in form and key structure. The macro ABA´ form divides into three smaller segments in each section (Table 4.2). The opening of the A section presents the main motive in C major in common time homophonically in the chorus. The last segment of the
A section includes an interesting new “Sanctus” motive that fluctuates between E♭ major and D major in the voices and strings. New choral writing combined with returning motives from the A section follow the “Sanctus” with the text, “the heavens and the earth are full of the majesty of
58 Table 4.2 Formal design of Te Deum, WoO. 16.
Sections Subsections Measure Key Text A 1–95 a 1–18 C Te Deum laudamus . . . b 19–45 G (E♭) Tíbi ómnes Angeli . . . c 46–83 E♭ (Transition) 84–105 Multiple Tonal Centers Te ergo quaésumus . . . B 105–173 a 105–122 A♭ Salvum fac ducem . . . b 122–153 A♭ Miserére nóstri . . . a´ 154–173 A♭ Salvum fac ducem . . . A´ 174–251 a 174–203 C In te Dómine . . . b 204–219 Rapid Transitions Salvum fac ducem . . . a´ 220–236 C In te Dómine . . . coda 237–251 C Te Deum . . . Amen
thy glory.”105 After the “Te ergo quaésumus” (therefore we beseech you) transition, the B section presents the central text of the composition “Save our duke . . .” The B section has segments of tonal ambiguity and rapid changes of tonal center, but Raff continuously returns to A♭ major.
The B section is stylistically different from the other sections of the composition. Raff goes to great lengths to highlight the modified text. At the beginning of the B section, Raff sets the text with just voices, woodwinds, and horns. The homophonic writing in the strings and the colla parte instrumental lines give clarity to the text like a setting of a hymn.
The thematic elements in the concluding section of the Te Deum give the composition a cyclic nature. The focus returns to the orchestra and Raff reuses the main motives from the A and
B sections, mostly in C major. Raff once again uses duple rhythms against triple for rhythmic
105 While my analysis shows the “c” subsection from the larger A section as one segment, it could also be argued that the “c” section is two sections, one small “Sanctus” section with an a´ section.
59 interest and sweeping lines in both the strings and the woodwinds. In the final two bars of the section, Raff uses ascending grace notes before each beat in the strings that also appear at the beginning of the composition (Example 4.1).
Example 4.1 Te Deum, mm. 245–251
The division of labor regarding the melodic interest and stylistic features is heavily balanced toward the orchestra. Leichtling notes that this is due to the small amount of time between the time of commission and date of premiere.106 This is a probable explanation, but it may also be because Raff’s experience composing for instruments outweighed his experience with chorus at that point in his life. The choral parts are not as adventurous as the orchestral lines, but the moments of quick harmonic transition and extended chordal exhibit the amount of preparation and care he took in creating the vocal lines. Throughout both the A and A´ sections,
Raff uses duple against triple rhythms, which gives the composition movement, often releasing the rhythmic tension at the heights of phrases or at cadences.
106 Leichtling, Avrohom. “Choral Works with Orchestral Accompaniment,” Liner notes for Joachim Raff (1822–1882). Sterling CDS 1098-2, 2012, compact disc. 5.
60 This composition is suitable for collegiate choirs and adult choirs, both volunteer and professional. While the chorus parts are accessible, to match the intensity of the orchestra, large adult choruses are best suited for this composition. The difficulty of the choral parts lie in the quick harmonic transitions and chordal language, especially when Raff uses consecutive series of diminished and half-diminished seventh chords. This should be taken into consideration when determining the appropriateness of the composition for an ensemble. The orchestra is standard size for the period, but it needs to be noted that a volunteer orchestra may have difficulty with the demands of the orchestral writing.
Dornröschen, WoO. 19
Raff composed Dornröschen (Sleeping Beauty) in the summer of 1855 while visiting
Doris Genast in Wiesbaden. Dornröschen is described as an epic fairy tale in four parts for soloists, chorus, and orchestra.107 The libretto, written by Raff’s future brother-in-law, Wilhelm
Genast, stems from a “fairy tale published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812 about a princess who, after being cursed by a Sprite, sleeps for 100 years in a castle surrounded by an impenetrable thorn hedge, until she is rescued by a handsome young nobleman who awakens her with a kiss.”108 The composition requires a dramatic chorus and capable soloists to fill the roles of
Sleeping Beauty (soprano), Water Sprite (soprano), Narrator (tenor), the Count (tenor), the King
(baritone), Cellar Master or Cooper (baritone), Head Cook (bass), and Freeman (bass). The orchestra includes a piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trombones, bass trombone, tuba, bass drum, triangle, harp, and strings. Raff conducted the
107 Thomas and Schäfer, 130.
108 Ibid, 182.
61 premiere on May 24, 1856, in the Court Theatre using the court orchestra and choir.109 The soloists for the premiere were Mr. Caspari (Narrator), Miss Emilie Genast, Raff’s future sister- in-law (Sleeping Beauty), Mr. von Wilde (the King), Mr. Knopp (the Count), Mr. Roth (Head
Cook), Mr. Höfer (Cellar Master or Cooper), Lemaster (Freeman) and Mrs. von Wilde (Water
Sprite).110 The theatre director, Baron Karl Olivier von Beaulieu-Marconnay (1811–1889), designed a series of tableaux vivants after the artwork of painter S. Thon that were staged during the premiere. 111 The second performance of the work occurred on February 4, 1884, by the
Academic Choral Society under the direction of the university music director.112 The score has remained unpublished, and the only available score is a full handwritten score. Böhlau published the libretto in 1856.113
Dornröschen begins with a prelude, and the rest of the work is divided into four sections, the fourth section being the longest. According to the concert’s publicity, the work lasts approximately two hours (Figure 4.1). It is not clear if the premiere had an intermission.
While the composition is marked and described as a “fairy-tale epic,” it has many stylistic similarities to oratorios and operas.114 Raff prioritizes the retelling of this story by
109 Thomas and Schäfer, 182.
110 Ibid, 130.
111 Tableaux vivants are sometimes called living paintings. This art form includes costumed participants recreating paintings, usually with the assistance of backdrops and/or sets. One of the tableaux participants in the premiere was one of the Genast men, who played the king in the tableaux; Raff, 127.
112 Ibid 130.
113 Wilhelm Genast, Dornröschen, (Vienna, Böhlau, 1856). V.
114 The inclusion of this work in this document may seem to fall outside the scope of my study. While the format and dramatic elements are similar to those of opera, many oratorios of 62
Figure 4.1 Concert publicity for the premiere of Dornröschen, WoO. 19
the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries blur the lines between the two genres. Due to the nature of the composition, this study will only address the sections that include a chorus. 63 sculpting each musical phrase to adhere to a dramatic moment, rather than crafting balanced key structures or focusing on outdated forms. The orchestra and the soloists are the primary focus of the composition, with the chorus appearing in approximately one-third of the entire work. The chorus embodies new characters throughout, with the exception of the last chorus. The treble and bass voices sing separately due to the roles they represent; Elves (treble), Maids (treble), Cooks
(bass), Hunters (bass), and Coopers (bass). This continues into the final movement until their unification in the concluding section of the piece.
The Elven choruses. The only reoccurring characters depicted by the chorus are the
Elves. Each part of Dornröschen, not including the prelude, includes one Elven chorus. The first chorus (Part I, no. 4) is set for two soprano and two alto voices; the second (Part II, no. 5) is set for Sleeping Beauty, soprano, and alto voices; the third (Part III, no. 4) is set for four soprano and three alto voices; and the fourth (Part IV, no. 16) is set for three soprano and two alto voices.
Each of the choruses is similar in that they are primarily homophonic and include part divisi throughout the majority of the writing. Raff specifically uses the Elven chorus to paint the text throughout the composition. In Example 4.2, Raff paints the text about “awakening from a dream” by using a harmonically complex chordal sequence.
Example 4.2 Dornröschen, part I, no. 4, pg. 35
64 In addition to the harmonic coloring, Raff reduces the instrumentation to just voices (a rare occurrence), letting the ethereal chorus sing unobstructed. In the next phrase, Raff again uses the same reduced instrumentation while the chorus presents the text, “until all laugh the merry morning,” letting the phrase rise towards the word “morgen,” or “morning,” and cadencing on
“lacht,” or “laughs,” with a rising arpeggiated motive in the harp (Example 4.3).
Other choruses and characters. Part II includes two additional choruses, “In the
Kitchen” (Part II, no. 2 – 2/4 – D Major), which uses both the Head Cook and the Maids, and “In the Cellar” (Part II, no. 3 – 3/4 – F Major), which uses the Cellar Master and a chorus of
Coopers. Raff sets “In the Kitchen” for double choir. Each choir consists of three vocal lines, and it is not clear, based on Raff’s indication, what voice part is assigned to the middle line. The stem direction suggests one soprano and two alto parts in each choir.115 The Cook and the Maids sing homophonically and antiphonally while making their meal preparations. The Cook gives orders and the Maids agree to his request, but the Maids grow frustrated by the lack of instruction from the oblivious Cook. Raff sets “In the Cellar” for two tenor and two bass voices.
The movement begins with the Cellar Master and then transitions to the chorus of the
Coopers. The chorus of the Coopers is similar in style to his part-song writing for tenor and bass voices. The harmonic detail is fairly simple, beginning and ending in C major with one small section in A♭ major. The parts are mostly homophonic with voice pairing between the tenor and bass voices. Both of these choruses are interesting in the use of articulation, the responsorial nature of the choirs and soloist, and the forward rhythmic motion to the downbeat to convey the
115 Due to the high tessitura of choir one and the lower tessitura of choir two, it may be easier to have three soprano voices sing choir one and three alto voices sing choir two. 65
Example 4.3 Dornröschen, Part I, no. 4, pg. 36 chaotic nature of the environment. In Example 4.4, the voices, and nearly all the instruments, have sharp staccato markings while the same forces rhythmically drive to the downbeat of each measure, painting a picture of the frazzled maids and chaotic kitchen.
Part IV contains four additional choruses: “Chorus of the Hunters” (Part IV, no. 2 – 3/4 –
C Major), “Wedding March with a Choir of Men and Women” (Part IV, no. 19 – 4/4 – E Major),
“Chorus of the Hunters” (Part IV, no. 20 – 6/4 – C Major), and a final chorus for mixed voices
66
Example 4.4 Dornröschen, Part II, no. 2, pg. 64 67 (Part IV, no. 22 – 4/4 – C Major). The first “Chorus of the Hunters” comes after the introduction by the Narrator. The Count is presumably among the hunters, and the chorus occurs directly before the Count leaves to enter Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Raff sets this chorus for two tenor and two bass voices. He uses a purely homophonic texture in the voices with simple harmonic material. While there is a larger orchestral texture leading into the chorus, Raff reduces the orchestral texture and sets the chorus with bassoon, trumpet, trombone, and cello, with the rest of the strings entering in the last section.
The “Wedding March with a Choir for Men and Women” divides into two separate sections. The first section is for two tenor voices and two bass voices with a small divisi in the lowest voice. The chorus (presumably the men of the castle, who have awakened from a hundred-year slumber) greets the Count and praises his noble character. The second section, for four soprano voices and two alto voices, has the same purpose, to greet the count and admire the splendor of Sleeping Beauty. The first section is more chromatically and rhythmically adventurous than the second, as Raff focuses on clarity and unity of text. The forces combine in the ending section, first singing their respective texts before asking the feast attendees to celebrate the happiness of the “Young King.”
The subsequent “Chorus of the Hunters” is a continuation of the last two sections.
Although there is a change in meter and key, there is no obvious separation between the two numbers. Raff sets this chorus for two tenor and two bass voices. The chorus writing is simple, and Raff focuses on using the text “Holla ho,” with long held notes in both the voices, and the brass to mimic a trumpet call. In addition, the strings and the piccolo have rapid chromatically cascading lines, creating the musical illusion of the characters searching for the Count (Example
4.5).
68
Example 4.5 Dornröschen, Part IV, no. 20a, pg. 189
The hunters worry harm has come to the Count and, like an army, make their way to the castle to search for the Count there.
The final chorus is a combination of hunters and a chorus for mixed voices, presumably combining the voices from the “Wedding March.” The scene begins with the hunters entering the party and the Count and King welcoming them to the festivities. They are happy for their Count 69 despite his leaving the hunt. The hunters’ chorus interrupts the well wishes of the mixed chorus to give their own well wishes to the new couple. Raff uses a simple hymn-like homophonic texture in the last chorus, focusing on clarity of text and intensity of sound (Example 4.6).
Example 4.6 Dornröschen, Part IV, no. 22, pg. 206
Dornröschen is an interesting work and would be a considerable undertaking for any ensemble or organization, but the work offers ample opportunity for collaboration. This work requires a capable chorus, advanced orchestra players, and soloists who are able to sing the difficult vocal 70 lines and can be heard over the chorus and orchestra. An opera company or a local chorus and orchestra collaborating on the work may find this composition appealing. Before the work is performed again, a modern performance edition needs to be completed.
Wachet auf!, op. 80
Wachet auf! is a cantata for baritone soloist, a tenor and bass quartet, tenor and bass chorus, and orchestra.116 The orchestra consists of two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two trumpets, two trombones, bass trombone, timpani, and strings. Raff composed
Wachet auf! in 1858, and Schott published the composition in October of 1862 with a dedication to the Liedertafel (Lieder Friends) of Maniz.117 While there is no information regarding the premiere of the work, the piece received a performance by the Liedertafel of Dresden in 1865.
Lasting approximately twenty minutes, Wachet auf! demonstrates Raff’s patriotic sensibilities and reflects popular sentiments of the late 1850s. This piece is one of two patriotic or nationalist pieces that Raff composed during the late 1850s. The second was his award-winning first symphony An das Vaterland (To the Fatherland), which quotes a well-known patriotic song.118
The text is by the poet and playwright Emanuel Geibel (1815–1884), whose poetry numerous composers set during the nineteenth century. The text begins with the first two lines from the popular text of Wachet auf, BWV 140, by J.S. Bach. While Bach’s text asks the people of Jerusalem to “wake up,” Geibel’s text calls for the attention of “Germany.” Prior to the
116 Schäfer and Helene Raff note that his piece is for soloist, chorus, and orchestra, but there are multiple occurrences when Raff marks “enier stimme” or “einer” to indicate when soloists from each of the four voice parts should be used, and “alle” for when the whole choir sings together. Additional soloists, one from each voice part, are required.
117 Thomas and Schäfer, 38, 183.
118 Raff, 146.
71 German Unification of 1871, there were many “prominent representatives” of the German national movement that “indulged in martial rhetoric and military planning.”119 By the time Raff composed Wachet auf!, the German people were accustomed to military conflict on the continent. Many German nationalists “believed to be living in an increasingly violent international scene in which a European war was inevitable and imminent.”120
These sentiments are plentiful in this text by Geibel. The first part of the text is a call for the German people to be ready for war, saying, “the day of the fight is not far.” The next section references those in the “east” who are “circling their prey” and “would like to devour” the
German people. The text continues and asks if the people can “hear the snake in the west?”
While the text is nondescript in who specifically Geibel means by those in the “east” and “west,” by the time of this composition, there was a “visceral hatred of the French” and “a fearful hostility towards Russia.”121 Geibel finishes this stanza by admonishing to “keep watch” and to ready the “swords for battle.” The next section is different from the last, telling the German people to be “firm in faith . . . purify themselves in prayer,” and to wear “the cross [as their] ornament.”122 The last section of text is a prayer for God to be “gracious to this German country” and asks God to “guide [them] through” this time.
119 Müller, Frank Lorenz. “The Spectre of a People in Arms: The Prussian Government and the Militarisation of German Nationalism, 1859–1864.” The English Historical Review 122, no. 495 (2007): 82–104. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20108205. 84.
120 Frank Lorenz Müller, 84.
121 Ibid, 84.
122 Raff changes the order of this stanza. Instead of continuing in the original order, Raff begins with the text “Keusch im Lieben. . . ,” the fourth line of the third stanza, instead of first, “Reiniget euch in Gebeten.” Raff uses lines four through six before returning to line one. Raff uses lines nine through fourteen as their own section. In addition, Raff changes line four of the fourth stanza from “Und lehr uns stark sein Hand in Hand!” to “Vereine sie, mit starker Hand!” 72 There are several similarities to Raff’s Te Deum, WoO. 16. While the Te Deum was composed for the ascension of a duke and the Wachet auf! as a message for the unification of
Germany, they both involve elements of triumph and the perseverance of the German people.
Both compositions primarily function in and around C major, and Raff features the tonic triad arpeggiated to sound like a trumpet call. The strings in both compositions end with ascending grace notes before the final C major chord (Example 4.7).
Example 4.7 Wachet auf!, pg. 63
73 Wachet auf! has four movements, separated by motive, tempo, or instrumentation.123
Movement one is in ABCB´A´ form and functions mostly in C and G major with a more chromatic middle section. Raff uses the end of the first movement to chromatically descend until he reaches the starting key of movement two, A♭ major. In movement two, Raff uses a large
ABA´ structure with internal subsections in sections A and B. The first A section includes brief tonicizations of E♭ and B♭ major, but the B section, deviates to G minor before returning to A♭ major in the final A´ section. Raff uses the first three bars of movement three to transition back to C major. Movement three is also in ABA´ form that is in C major with movement to E minor in the B section. Movement four is in binary form (AB), with the A section presenting four repetitions of a fugue before moving to the final, more homophonic, ending B section. The fugal section begins in C major and has movement to F major and small use of A minor. The B section deviates slightly to D♭ major for dramatic effect before finishing in C major.
Raff takes great care to create dramatic musical moments that effectively communicate a text that warns of impending war and a call for Germany’s unification. Raff uses reoccurring rhythmic and pitch patterns to mimic the sounds of war in the brass and timpani. In Example 4.8,
Raff uses the dotted eighth note followed by a sixteenth note arpeggiated in the strings and ascending intervals of a fourth in the brass to mimic militaristic horn sounds, while the choir sings the text, “Wake up, you broad German land.”
This example shows Raff’s dramatic use of the elements, which continues in movement two with the more rhythmic use of the brass and boisterous timpani rolls, while the choir sings the text “as the hour strikes” (Example 4.9). Both examples (4.8 and 4.9) show the instrumental
123 There is no separation between the movements in an editorial sense. The music continues uninterrupted throughout the composition. 74
Example 4.8 Wachet auf!, pg. 4
75
Example 4.9 Wachet auf!, pg. 36
elements used to reference war and impending battle. Considering the historical circumstances of this period, the choice of text with the accompanying aural references would not have gone unnoticed. 76 Movements two and three demonstrate Raff’s attention to textual mood in the way he sensitively sets the choral and instrumental parts. After the foreboding movement one, Raff transitions to a slower tempo, creating a foundation for the somber, introspective mood of the text. The movement begins with soloists and tutti choir singing homophonically, in a hymn-like fashion. The text asks the German people to “keep faith,” “unite,” and “adorn [themselves] with the cross.” The woodwinds and strings delicately accompany the homophonic choral parts
(Examples 4.10 and 4.11).
Wachet auf! is one of the most accessible pieces in Raff’s choral-orchestral collection.
While there are moments of harmonic ambiguity, the harmonic material remains stable for longer periods of time compared to other similar compositions, making the choral parts of medium difficulty. The instrumental lines are also easy to medium difficulty, and could be successfully performed by amateur instrumental ensembles. The choral parts are also appropriate for amateur adult tenor/bass ensembles, although an ensemble of at least forty singers may be needed to be heard over the orchestral texture.
Deutschlands Auferstehung, op. 100
Deutschlands Auferstehung (Germany’s Resurrection) is a festival cantata written in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig (Battle of Nations) for men’s chorus and orchestra.124 The composition is dedicated to Ernst, Duke of Sax-Colburg-Gotha and uses text by Friedrich Konrad Müller (Müller von der Werra) (1823–1881), a German poet. The orchestra consists of a piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two natural
124 Thomas and Schäfer, 106.
77
Example 4.10 Wachet auf!, pg. 23
78
Example 4.11 Wachet auf!, pg. 45
79 horns, two valved horns, two natural trumpets, two trombones, bass trombone, timpani, and strings. The piece also requires a baritone soloist and a choir consisting of two tenor and two bass lines. Raff composed Deutschlands Auferstehung from December of 1862 through January of 1863 in Wiesbaden. Kahnt published the work in 1864 after the piece won a composition competition “organized by the publishers” in 1863.125 The premiere occurred on March 11, 1865, in Königsberg, conducted by Heinrich Laudien. The composition lasts approximately twenty-two minutes and divides into three large sections (ABC) with subdivisions in each section. The text tells a story of a cold and bleak German land awaiting the arrival of spring. With the changing of the seasons, Germany awakes to new splendor. The text also celebrates a German land that has removed its shame by winning a decisive victory and now sings “freedom’s song.” Like Wachet auf!, Raff adopts the word “awake” to call for a united German populous – a unification that came to fruition through the victorious Battle of Leipzig.
The first section (A) begins in an ominous andante, in 4/4 time in C minor, with the lone baritone soloist and sparse accompaniment from the orchestra. The soloist tells the story of the
“cold” and “frozen . . . Germany country” that “craves freedom.” Raff paints the sentiment in the text with dramatic descending lines in the baritone line, supported by a long pedal tone in the cello and bass. Transitioning to C major and a faster, allegro non troppo tempo, the soloist calls the people to fight, and with the victory a new “sun” with rise on Germany. While the allegro non troppo section does not use the full force of the orchestra, more recognizable patterns begin to appear in the form of broken C major triads (Example 4.12).
The same arpeggiated triads, specifically C major arpeggiations, are present in other choral-orchestral works involving battle or unification, such as Raff’s Te Deum and Wachet auf!
125 Thomas and Schäfer, 183. 80
Example 4.12 Deutschlands Auferstehung, pg. 14
This section continues in a slightly faster tempo (piú mosso) with the entrance of the choir and the arrival of spring. The first subsection of the piú mosso segment pairs the bottom two vocal lines and the top two vocal lines. The orchestra becomes more rhythmically active in the strings as the woodwinds float above, coloring the many elements of nature coming alive in the new season. Raff also metaphorically colors the changing of the season by chromatically transitioning through multiple keys before returning to C major. The final segment of the piú mosso section portrays the victory by commanding the German people to “awake . . . after a long night” because “spring is here.” The music colors this text with the use of quick ascending triadic sequences and the homophonic choral texture with the addition of the brass. The subsequent entrance of the homophonic men’s choir is a musical marker, often related to the many male 81 singing groups and societies that often joined in song to sing about the same subjects represented in this work. The conclusion of the A section transitions to E major.
Section B is in a slow and calm larghetto con moto tempo in 9/8 time. The section begins with a simple string introduction before the choir entrance. The choir is reflective, often singing unaccompanied to communicate a sense of “unity” and reflection of “sacrifice.” The orchestral texture increases with each phrase, and Raff builds harmonically until the modest climax during the phrase, “In allen deutschen Gauen Klingt Ostermelobei,” or “An Easter melody sounds in every German region.” Raff relieves the ear and places this phrase back in E major after the many temporary tonicizations and ambiguous harmonic centers. The phrase references Easter, which celebrates Christ’s resurrection from the dead, and Raff uses this metaphorically to celebrate the new, unified Germany. The section continues to grow until the entire orchestra
(except for the piccolo) and choir presents the “most holy freedom song.” The increase in orchestral texture, the louder dynamics, and the repetitive use of E major triads create an inspirational transition into the last section (Example 4.13).
Raff returns the final section (C) to C major in common time with a vibrant allegro vigoroso tempo. This section divides into three subsections that each contain an eight-line stanza of text that begins and ends with the same phrases about singing “freedom’s” song and hailing
Germany’s “eternal freedom.” The harmony is less adventurous in this section. Raff chooses to build tension and excitement through the pulsating rhythmic drive of the strings and woodwinds rather than through harmonic development. Raff’s exciting coda features rapidly ascending string lines and unified brass and woodwind swells, supporting the repetitious text “Heil dir” or “Hail to you [Germany].” The final measure of the section features a triumphant fortissimo “heil ewig,” or “hail forever,” with a long-held C major chord in the choir before the jubilant
82
Example 4.13 Deutschlands Auferstehung, pg. 73 83 orchestral ending. The first flute contains familiar ascending grace notes that begin and end the
Te Deum, WoO. 16, and are also included in Wachet auf!, op. 80. The Wachet auf! text is similar to the text of this work as both reference battle, and the Te Deum has a tangential militaristic connection due to its dedication to the Grand Duke Karl Alexander.
De Profundis, op. 141
Raff composed De Profundis (Psalm 130), op. 141, in 1867. In the period prior to this work’s completion, a disagreement between Raff and Liszt strained their relationship, and Raff
“felt he was encountering the opposition of the Liszt faction everywhere.”126 Raff dedicated this composition to Liszt in hopes of mending the relationship, demonstrating “his long-standing personal regard” for his friend, and “[fulfilling] Liszt’s wish that he should write more sacred music – something that Liszt had always urged him to do.”127 De Profundis was published in
1868 by Schuberth and again in 2000 by Edition Nordstern. The piece premiered on March 26,
1872, conducted by Karl Müller-Hartung in the Stadkirche in Weimar.128 De Profundis is for soprano soloist, eight-part chorus (SSAATTBB), and orchestra. Numerous composers have set the text of De Profundis (Psalm 130), a penitential psalm.129 The orchestration includes two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, alto trombone, trombone, bass trombone, timpani, and strings. The composition lasts approximately forty
126 Raff, 168.
127 Ibid 168.
128 Thomas and Schäfer, 184.
129 Penitential psalms are psalms that express humankind’s sinful nature, pleas for God’s forgiveness, and repentance from sin. 84 minutes and is divided into six movements: an orchestral introduction and five movements for chorus and orchestra (the fifth movement includes a soprano soloist).
The first movement is in three small sections (ABA´), transitioning from G minor through A♭ major/F minor and back to G minor in the final A´ section. The orchestral introduction begins ominously in G minor, with the primary motive led by the strings. Raff achieves a sense of graveness in this opening, often using quick swells from piano to forte in the
A sections and building chromatic tension in the B section before returning to the main theme.
The building B section also features a dramatic string part. The dissension of the lower strings prepares the subsequent text, “Out of the depths.”
Movement 2, “De Profundis,” is for full choir and orchestra and is in an extended ternary form (ABAB´A´´). The movement begins without pause from the preceding orchestral introduction, and Raff uses a fugue, beginning in the bass section and ascending through each voice part, arriving at the climax in measure 33. Raff uses terraced entrances of the main motive to build tension and color the text, “out of the depths I have cried to thee.” Raff repeats this process, albeit more quickly, in the second A section (Example 4.14). Raff changes the vocal texture from imitative to homophonic to provide emphasis for specific words, such as “clamavi”
(I have cried); he also uses repetition, like the text “ad te” (to thee), to achieve the same result
(Example 4.15). Raff also terraces, suspends, and repeats text like “vocem meam” (my voice) to create an effect of the choir crying out to the Lord (Example 4.16). Raff transitions to and ends the movement in G major, from the previous G minor.
The third movement, “Si iniquitates,” is for tenor/bass chorus (TTBB) and orchestra, beginning in D minor. This movement includes two contrasting sections (AB) with a double
85 canon in the voices in the first section. The first canon is in the bottom two voices and the second canon is in the upper two voices (Example 4.17).
Example 4.14 De Profundis, mvt. 2, mm. 103–108
Example 4.15 De Profundis, mvt. 2, mm. 37–39 86
Example 4.16 De Profundis, mvt. 2, mm. 62–65
Example 4.17 De Profundis, mvt. 3, mm. 27–30
87 The second section features a change in vocal and orchestral texture. The first section is imitative in the voices, and the orchestra doubles multiple vocal lines while providing additional vocal accompaniment. The second section features moments of homophonic choral writing with the musical focus alternating between the choir and the strings (Example 4.18).
Example 4.18 De Profundis, mm. 61–66
Both the A and the B sections contain the entire text of the movement with multiple repetitions. Beginning in measure 105 of the B section, Raff decides to only repeat the text
“Domine, quis sustnebit?” (Lord, who will withstand?). The text is a reference to the righteousness and authority of God to judge our sin and the belief that no person is blameless before the Lord. Raff decreases the dramatic elements of the voices and strings, and in the final measures of the movement repeats “quis?” (who?) softly and with minimal orchestration, showing reverence for the subject and the text (Example 4.19).
88
Example 4.19 De Profundis, mvt. 3, mm. 133–135
The question of “who will withstand?” is answered in movement 4, “Quis apud te propitiatio est” (But with you there is forgiveness). The liturgical importance of these two movements is the central focus of Christianity. While no one is above the judgement of the God,
His forgiveness and mercy bridges the gap between man’s shortcoming and the kingdom of heaven.
This movement contrasts against the last movement in orchestration, voicing, and key.
The previous movement ends on a D in the cello and bass. Raff uses this note as a pivot note into
B♭ major. Raff features a chorus of soprano and alto voices with a soprano soloist, as opposed to the TTBB chorus of the previous movement. The orchestra is decorative and lacks the dramatic
89 elements included in the last movement. In addition, Raff removes the trumpets, trombones, and timpani to create a less obtrusive orchestral texture and to provide balance between the orchestra and solo voice. While there is balance between all the musical forces, the central focus always returns to the soloist.
This movement is in three sections (ABA´), with both A sections in B♭ major and the B section in G♭ major. The soprano soloist and orchestra begin the movement with text from the middle of the stanza, repeating “Sustinui” (I have waited). The choir enters after the conclusion of the lengthy but expressive soprano solo, repeating and harmonizing the beginning thematic material. The B section is responsorial in nature, between the soloist and chorus, and this continues into the final A´ section. The highlight of this movement is during the return of the A theme in the final A´ section. The chorus repeats the main theme while the soloist expands on the material in the rests between the choral phrases, creating an ethereal musical moment, before the solemn ending that repeats, softly, “I have waited for you, Lord” (Example 4.20).
In the fifth movement, “A Custodia,” the full choir returns with the orchestra. The movement includes five contrasting sections. Raff obfuscates C major (the written key signature) by using D minor chords in the first two measures. Raff then transitions from C major through
B♭ and A♭ major before arriving back in C major in measure 36. Raff uses this, and the ascending sequential entrances in the woodwinds and horns, to color the text “From the morning watch,” creating a sunrise effect, eventually coming to a climax in measure 39 (Examples 4.21 and 4.22).
The final section of this movement reaches not only the apex of the movement but also the central message of the text, “with him there is plenteous redemption.” Similar to the technique he uses in previous sections, Raff repeats the phrase and takes care to paint the text,
90 such as “plenteous,” by using long melismatic lines before arriving at an accented setting of the word “redemption,” using the full force of the orchestra (Example 4.23).
Example 4.20 De Profundis, mvt. 4, mm. 181–188
91
Example 4.21 De Profundis, mvt. 5, mm. 10–28
92
Example 4.22 De Profundis, mvt. 5, mm. 38–40
93
Example 4.23 De Profundis, mvt. 5, mm. 158–172
94
Example 4.23 (continued)
95 The final movement, “Et ipse redimet Israel” (And he shall redeem Israel), uses the full chorus and orchestra and features a double fugue. The movement is separated into six sections
(ABA´A/BC). Raff ends the previous movement in C major and begins this movement in A♭ major, despite the key signature indicating G major. Raff sequences the main motive in the orchestra until measure 29, when the tenors sing the motive in G major. The A section includes the first theme with the text “Et ipse redimet Israel” in G major, and the B section includes the second theme with the text “ex omnibus iniquitatibus” (from all its iniquities), also in G major.
Between the B section and A´ section, there is a small transitional segment that uses the first line of text with a slight inversion of the original theme, but it’s not an exact inversion. The A´ section returns with the original theme and text in E minor, followed by the double fugue that uses both the A and B themes in C major (Example 4.24).
The final section includes a triumphant “Amen” section that also repeats the first line of the text. The chorus continues to spin terraced “Amen[s]” followed by an orchestral presentation of the main theme before a bold, full-force conclusion to the work.
De Profundis is suitable for large, collegiate or adult mixed choruses. Due to the full orchestral texture, choral divisi, and demanding vocal lines, a choir of eighty to one hundred singers may be needed to balance the musical elements. The choral lines are more accessible than the orchestral lines. Those interested in performing the composition need a capable, advanced orchestra. The demands of the brass and string parts are noteworthy, and the divisi in the strings require many players.
Zwei Gesänge für Gemischten Chor, op. 171
Op. 171 includes two short pieces for SATB chorus, vocal quartet (SATB), and orchestra.
Raff composed No. 1, “Im Kahn” (In a Boat) and no. 2, “Der Tanz” (The Dance) in Wiesbaden
96
Example 4.24 De Profundis, mvt. 6, mm. 174–181 in the autumn of 1871, and Siegel published them in 1872; an additional edition with German and English text was published in 1880.130 The choral lines do not contain any divisi, and the orchestra is set for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, timpani, and strings.131 The two pieces last approximately seven and a half minutes. There is no information
130 Thomas and Schäfer, 184.
131 The Siegel edition also contains a piano reduction in the full score.
97 regarding dedication, commission, or premiere of these works.132 The choral parts are among the most accessible in Raff’s entire choral oeuvre. The vocal ranges stay within norms, and the harmonic and melodic elements are simple. These pieces are appropriate for medium-sized secondary choruses or adult choruses.
“Im Kahn,” set in C major with a moderato tempo in common time, has a through- composed, tripartite structure (ABC). The text, also in three sections, is authored by Arnold
Börner, a pseudonym for Joachim Raff. The text paints a picture of a sunset and a boat that
“glides quietly” through the water. The piece begins with the strings and bassoons before the homophonic presentation of the theme by the choir. In typical Raff fashion, he focuses on painting the text. After the orchestral transition into the B section, Raff employs “gliding” sixteenth-note runs in the strings. The repetitive half-step and whole-step oscillations represent
the sound of the stern of the boat parting the water (Example 4.25).
Example 4.25 “Im Kahn,” Zwei Gesänge für Gemischten Chor, no. 1, pg. 7
132 It is likely that these pieces were performed in Raff’s lifetime. 98 The B section transitions through multiple keys (E minor, F minor/ D♭ major, A♭ major) before returning to C major at the beginning of the C section. Raff paints the “earth” and
“sky” with ascending triplets in the strings and soaring sustained notes in the woodwinds. Raff reduces the orchestral texture as the choir sings the text “songs sound soft and gentle,” only writing in tiny flourishes in the first violin before the quiet, gentle C major ending.
“Der Tanz,” set in D major and 6/4 time, adds a solo vocal quartet (SATB), in contrast to the previous “Im Kahn.” The text of “Der Tanz” is by Paul Fleming (1609–1640) and consists of six stanzas, all beginning with the same text “Let’s dance, let’s jump.” Raff divides the composition into eight sections (ABCA´DEFA´´) with an orchestral introduction. Raff sets the text out of order from the original poem by Fleming. The A sections use the sixth stanza of text, and the B section begins with stanza one and then progresses in order through sections C, D, E, and F. Besides the A sections, there is only one instance of thematic material repeating. In the beginning of section F, Raff repeats material in the chorus that occurs previously in the orchestral introduction. Most of the composition features a soloist or soloists, with the chorus acting as an auxiliary feature. Every section besides the A sections and section F is for solo voices, with the exception of a few bars where the choirs sing the first line “Lasst uns tanzen, lasst uns springen.” Raff employs harmonic changes that accompany the change of mood in the text and often arpeggiates the words “dance” and “jump” for a more literal painting of the text.
Morgenlied and Einer Entschlafenen, op. 186
Raff composed op. 186 (Morgenlied, op. 186a and Einer Entschlafenen, op. 186b) in the spring of 1873 in Wiesbaden. The two-volume edition published by Siegel in 1874 includes both
German text and English text by J. Powell Metcalfe. In May of 1877, Siegel published an edition
99 including vocal lines and piano reduction.133 There is no information regarding any dedication, commission, or premiere. Besides similarities in orchestration, the two compositions differ in voicing, style, and theme.
Morgenlied (Morning Song) uses two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, alto trombone, trombone, bass trombone, timpani, strings, and SATB chorus, with a small, manageable divisi in the tenor and bass vocal lines. The piece lasts approximately six minutes and includes text by Johann Georg Jacobi (1740–1814), a German poet and scholar. The textual theme references nature and a “grove” awakening in the morning.
The text continues to highlight themes of nature that develop into themes of love. The composition, in 9/8 time in G major, has a tripartite structure (ABC) with each section beginning with a new stanza of text. Raff aims to color each new textual theme separately rather than create a structure that has main themes and returning motives. While the composition is through- composed, many of the themes have a common shape (a step or small ascending leap before a larger descending leap of a third, sixth, or octave) that gives the piece balance and unity. Raff uses terraced entrances, ascending sequences, and rising instrumental and vocal lines to paint the
“grove awakening,” the “sun rising,” and “spirits rising” from the grave. Raff uses the strings and voices to color the dawn in the beginning (Example 4.26) and the “spirit” rising in the conclusion (Example 4.27), bookending the piece with similar concepts. Morgenlied is accessible to large adult choirs. The vocal lines fall within normal ranges, although the bass line does have extended passages with higher extensions.
133 Thomas and Schäfer, 92–93; The English text is only suitable for performances given in English. The English text is not a literal translation and, while it contains similarities, deviates from the meaning of the original. 100 Einer Entschlafenen (The One Who Passed On), sometimes referred to as Elegy, is for
SATB chorus, soprano soloist, and orchestra, lasting approximately seven to eight minutes.134
Example 4.26 Morgenlied, mm. 1–7
134 Raff notes at the beginning of the Siegel edition that if a suitable soloist is not available, the sopranos from the chorus may sing the part. To accommodate this, the sopranos and altos should split into three equal sections. 101
Example 4.27 Morgenlied, mm. 145–149
102 The orchestration includes two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, alto trombone, trombone, bass trombone, timpani, and strings. The text is by Arnold Börner, a pseudonym of Raff’s. The text is four four-line stanzas that lament the “one who has passed” and portray the departed as covered in “roses” and “forget-me-nots.” The poem beckons the soul to escape the “narrow dwelling,” or coffin, and rise to “eternal love.”
The composition is in four sections (ABCD) with an orchestral introduction, with the soloist beginning in section B. Both the B and D sections begin with the soprano soloist and the choir repeating the theme introduced by the soloist. The piece begins in F minor and ends in F major. Much like Morgenlied, Raff focuses on creating moments that reflect the text rather than emphasizing repetitive thematic material and formal structures. Both compositions include rising instrumental or vocal lines to paint the concept of something “rising” – the sun in Morgenlied and the soul in Einer Entschlafenen. In Example 4.28, Raff once again uses ascending instrumental lines to propel the “soul” towards heaven. In addition, Raff uses an ascending vocal sequence on the word “hinaus” (ascend) to color that concept. There is a notable dichotomy between the A and B sections and the final C section. The tempo changes to a faster allegro and the clear major tonality matches the more hopeful, rather than the previous sorrowful, text. As before, Raff uses single vocal lines in succession, beckoning the soul to leave using just the words “out” and “escape” (Example 4.29).
Die Tageszeiten, op. 209
Die Tageszeiten (The Time of Day) is a concertante in four movements for SATB choir, piano, and orchestra. Raff began composing Die Tageszeiten in 1877 in Wiesbaden and “brought the work with him to Frankfurt.”135 The work was published by Breitkopf & Härtel in 1880
135 Raff, 227. 103
Example 4.28 Einer Entschlafenen, mm. 195–203
104
Example 4.29 Einer Entschlafenen, mm. 106–110
105 along with a vocal/piano score. The piece premiered on January 12, 1880, at the Royal Theatre in
Wiesbaden, conducted by Wilhelm Jahn, featuring the pianist Karl Faelten on piano. Faelten was a teacher at the Dr. Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt where Raff was director.136 The Royal
Academy for Music performed the London premiere on December 17, 1891, at St. James Hall.137
The chorus consists of SATB voices with a small divisi in the tenor and bass sections.
The orchestra consists of three flutes (third flute also plays piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, alto trombone, trombone, bass trombone, timpani, and strings. The piece requires a very capable pianist. The pianist is featured in every movement and the piano part is formidable. The text was written by Helene Raff under the pseudonym
Helge Heldt. Each movement portrays a certain time of day, in this case, going in circular direction from “day” moving through “evening,” “night,” and “dawn” of a new day.
The first movement, “Im hellsten Licht erglänzt die Welt” (The World Shines with
Intense Brightness), is the longest of the four movements, lasting approximately fifteen minutes.
The form of the movement is interesting in that Raff uses theme and variation techniques within a sonata form. The opening is a lengthy a capriccio introduction featuring the piano before the A section theme is presented in the orchestra. Raff repeats the main motive in eight different variations before the end of the A section. As was customary in sonata form during this time, the development only includes thematic material loosely based on the original material. This continues into the recapitulation, obfuscating the main motive by only using partial themes followed by additional developmental material.
136 Thomas and Schäfer, 106.
137 “Royal Academy of Music,” The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular 33 (1892): 25.
106 This movement lacks consistent segments of tone or word painting. There is a single exception in the development section that uses the images of a countryman in his field, a shepherd leading a flock to the mountains, a fisherman pulling nets from a brook, and a hunter’s song heard from the forest. The most literal moment of text painting is the representation of the hunter’s song. During this segment, the first horn arpeggiates a C major chord, a style of writing also used in other choral-orchestral compositions, to mimic a type of bugle call one would hear during a hunt or on the battlefield. In addition, Raff omits the sopranos and altos to allow the tenors and basses to temporarily take on the role of the hunters (Example 4.30).
Example 4.30 Die Tageszeiten, mvt.1, pg. 30
Movement two, “Die Sonne sich neiget, der Abend, er Steiget” (The Sun Sinks, the Evening, It
Climbs), is in rondo form (ABA´CA´´), separating each section using the three stanzas of text.138
138 According to the 1890 edition by Breitkopf & Härtel, the text has four stanzas, the first and fourth being exact repetitions. 107 The author of the text describes how during the day he is able to hide his pain, but as the sun sets, the pain returns. Despite the returning pain, at night, everything rests. Beginning in F major and compound duple time, Raff uses the unevenness of the meter to paint the sun’s “tilting.”
While Raff does not deviate far from F major during this movement, the second segment of section C includes more adventurous harmonic language to color the text telling how the heart beats “wildly” during the day, but at night, it rests. Example 4.31 shows the chromatically descending lines in the voices creating sequences of diminished triads and fully diminished seventh chords, building tension before the climax at “jetze” (now). The final A section returns, and in the final moments of the movement, the orchestration thins and the music softens while the choir sings “ruht” (resting).
Movement three, “Still ist’s nun” (It Is Quiet Now), contrasts with the preceding movement. This movement begins in F minor, rather than the previous F major, escalates the tempo to allegro, and includes a driving rhythm in the strings. While movement three also contains a feeling of a triple subdivision on each beat, the lilting thematic material is absent, instead using three distinct melodies in each section.
The third movement divides into four sections (ABCA´). The opening A (F minor) section begins with the quiet sounds of the night and gives way to rhythmically driving, staccato, homophonic choral writing in the B section. Raff colors the text “sneak secretly” with sharp syllabic pronouncement and dramatic silence that follows each iterance of the phrase. The C section changes to D♭ major and releases the stored tension from the B section. The legato melody and simple voice leading suits the simple sentiment of a “lovely night.” In the final section, a portion of the material and text from sections A and B returns, and Raff transitions back to F minor. The concluding bars of the movement feature the choir singing, “It is quiet
108
Example 4.31 Die Tageszeiten, mvt. 2 pg. 67–68 109
Example 4.31 (continued) 110 now,” giving finality to the sentiment by settling into an F major chord on the final bar.
Movement four, “Es ist mit Dunkel und Schatten verschwunden die lange Nacht” (With
Darkness and Shadow the Long Night Has Vanished), contains cyclic features in the text and thematic material. The text completes the cycle of the day, and Raff reuses themes from movement one. Raff structures this movement in four sections (orchestral introduction, ABA´).
The three sections that use chorus (ABA´) each include one stanza of text.
The movement begins with an orchestral introduction that transitions from F major to C major. In the opening bars, the violas play a chromatically ascending sequence until they reach C major. At this point, Raff prolongs the dominant until the beginning of the A section and a restatement of the main theme from movement one. Raff’s prolonging of the dominant and arriving at the first theme colors the metaphorical break of dawn. The choir enters, presenting the main theme of the A section. In the last two stanzas of text in the A section, Raff writes new material for the choral parts while the orchestra elaborates on the main theme.
The B section is the shortest of the three choral sections and begins in A major. The pizzicato strings and staccato setting of the texts colors the “sparkling meadows.” The piano temporarily elaborates on the theme from the second A section of movement one. The theme, oscillating between the right and left hands on the piano, continues to chromatically sequence before the woodwinds and strings play the theme. Before the return of the final A section, the choir sings a variation of the main theme (first theme of movement four), and the woodwinds and strings partially reintroduce the theme in segments.
The final section features a fugue in C major. The fugue is harmonically simple and transitions through closely related keys before arriving at a homophonic elaboration of the fugal theme. The ending coda features rollicking ascending lines in the orchestra and piano, and the
111 vocal lines favor musical accent rather than linguistic continuity, with quarter-note rests breaking the syllables of the words.
Die Sterne, WoO. 53
Die Sterne (The Stars) is a cantata in five movements for mixed chorus and orchestra with text by Helge Heldt, a pseudonym for Helene Raff, Joachim Raff’s daughter. Raff composed the work in the summer and autumn of 1880 in Frankfurt. Raff never published Die
Sterne, and he never witnessed a performance of the work.139 Die Sterne remained in manuscript form until 2013, when Edition Nordstern published a modern performance edition. The orchestra consists of three flutes (one piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, alto trombone, trombone, bass trombone, timpani, and strings. The SATB choir includes very small divisi in the alto and bass parts periodically throughout the composition. The text is not narrative, but rather descriptive. Each movement describes the stars in all their wonder and often comments on man’s interaction with the stars. The composition lasts approximately twenty-five minutes.
Movement one, “Von Firmamente blinkt Sternenglanz,” is in six sections (ABCDEA´).
The orchestral introduction (A) repeats at the end of the movement (A´), with the middle four sections using both the orchestra and chorus (BCDE). Within the choral sections there are no motivic repetitions, only similarities. The movement begins with a small orchestral introduction.
The high, floating violins enter first, drawing a musical connection to the stars in the sky. The violins are the solitary line in the orchestral introduction until the choir begins along with a sole flute on a sustained high C (C6) in measure 21. The voice part enters in an imitative fashion that turns quickly into strict homophony.
139 Thomas and Schäfer, 185. 112 While there is little motivic similarity throughout the choral sections, there is a rhythmic figure that permeates the choral part throughout the composition. Raff uses a half note followed by two quarter notes repetitively throughout each section. The rhythm, in addition to a mostly syllabic approach to setting the text, creates a speech-like texture throughout the first movement.
The central C section features a small fugue with a repeating martial rhythm (dotted eighth attached to a sixteenth). The rhythm seems out of character in the first movement, and the initial text of the C section, “In their prescribed course,” does not lend any clues. However, the final phrase of text in this section, “but they march on inexorably,” reveals the impetus for the rhythmic feature. The orchestral coda (A´) uses material from the beginning, this time expanding the orchestral texture to include string and woodwinds.
Movement two, “Es schaut der Lotse auf der See,” contrasts with the first movement. The movement begins in F minor (parallel minor of the previous movement) and in 6/8 time, as opposed to the previous common time. This movement is in strophic form. Each of the three sections contains two contrasting phrases, one in 6/8 and the other in 3/4 time. Raff highlights the choir throughout this section, setting it mostly unaccompanied with minimal use of the orchestra. The movement concludes with “a good star will shine upon them,” and Raff uses this text to transition into F major via a raised third scale degree in the last five bars.
Movement three, “Hell und freundlich lacht der Gestirne Pracht,” is in ternary (ABA´) form, with the B section containing two subsections. The movement begins with violins that use the first three bars to transition into A major from the previous F major. Raff treats the first motive imitatively, beginning with the soprano voice, followed by each voice from high to low.
The second phrase of the A section, beginning in measure 10, repeats this process with a second motive (mostly an inversion of the first), with the voices entering in opposite order.
113 Of all the movements, movement three uses the most literal musical descriptions. Raff uses the harmonic material and full range of the instruments to create “starry” effects. For example, the A section ends with the text “when the stars are so bright.” Raff colors this text by using repeating eighth notes high in the registers of the flutes and first oboe. Another example is the harmonically fluid and dissonance-filled choral entrances that color the text “but when their image seems threatening and wild” (Example 4.32). Finally, in the second subsection of section
B, the woodwinds and first violin play rapid, chromatically descending lines that color the text
“when the comets draw fiery trails across the heavens with their tails” (Example 4.33). The A section returns in the tonic key, featuring the initial motives with different text. The movement concludes with familiar shimmering, high, repetitive eighth notes, which lead to the final cadence.
Movement four, “Ein Stern der Höhen fällt,” is in five sections (ABCB´A´), with the A sections using only the orchestra, and the middle three sections using the chorus and orchestra.
Raff uses the first four bars to transition from the ending key of movement three (A major) to A♭ major. Set in a slow, 6/8-time largo, the extended orchestral introduction includes the strings and a horn solo, with the clarinets entering in measure 43. The horn solo gives the opening melodic interest, while the violin quickly descends in thirty-second notes and the clarinets bounce in disjunct intervals to color the opening text “A star high up falls, hardly seen” (Example 4.34).
The first choral section begins in E major. While it is a stark contrast to the previous A♭ major,
Raff’s chromatic modulation is elegant, using a unison fifth scale degree (E♭ ) in the strings and ascending by a half step to reach the new tonic. The choral lines are primarily homophonic throughout both the B and C sections, and the orchestra accompanies throughout with an occasional “falling star” in the first violin or flute.
114
Example 4.32 Die Sterne, mvt. 3, mm. 32–37 115
Example 4.33 Die Sterne, mvt. 3, mm. 48–52
116
Example 4.34 Die Sterne, mvt. 4, mm. 46–54
Movement five, “Wenn das Aug’ in nächt’ger Stille,” is set in F major in four sections
(ABCD), with the last section containing two prominent subsections. Raff divides the sections based on the four stanzas of text; section A receives the first two stanzas, section B the third, and
C and D split the fourth. Each section features various types of vocal and orchestral textures and themes. The chorus sings the first two sections homophonically with small to large orchestration.
Similar to the first movement, the first two sections move through the text quickly, with Raff using a syllabic approach to set the text. The beginning of the C section is quasi-fugal with the sopranos beginning the subject. The subject is long, lasting nine bars. Each voice presents the subject, and the orchestra plays colla parte until measure 94, when the chorus returns to a homophonic texture. The height of this section is in measure 121, where Raff unites the forces
117 through homophonic texture and increases the dynamic to emphasize the text “a higher power rules” (Example 4.35).
Section D includes the last line of the second stanza, “True faith does not deceive,” and a modification of the last stanza. Instead of including all four lines from the last stanza, Raff only uses the first and the last, translating to “In those bright distant lands . . . a higher power rules.”
The choir imitatively and homophonically repeats this text as the violins rise before the triumphant ending.
This composition is appropriate for large adult mixed choruses, and, like many of Raff’s other choral-orchestral compositions, requires advanced orchestral players.
Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, op. 212
In the last years of Raff’s life, he began to compose and make plans for dramatic works for vocal and orchestral forces. Other than the present work, Raff made plans and sketches for two oratorios, Das Wasser (The Water) and Johannes der Taufer (John the Baptist), and multiple operas.140 Raff composed Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt (World’s End – Judgement – New
World), an oratorio for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, from “spring 1879 [through] March 1881 in Frankfurt.”141 Breitkopf & Härtel published a vocal score in 1882 and the full score and orchestral parts with German and English text in 1883. The premiere occurred at the City Church in Weimar, conducted by Karl Müller-Hartung, on January 17, 1882.142 The next performance occurred at the Leeds Festival in 1883. The orchestration is for three flutes (third doubling on
140 Thomas and Schäfer, 276–277.
141 Ibid, 186.
142 Ibid, 186.
118
Example 4.35 Die Sterne, mvt. 5, mm. 114–123
119 piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, alto trombone, trombone, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, and strings. The composition also calls for two soloists, a baritone who plays John the Baptist and a mezzo-soprano who plays A Voice. The chorus contains SATB voices. Multiple movements contain vocal divisi in one to all parts.
The work divides into three parts, with the first part (World’s End) having four subdivisions (Appendix B). The text comes from the Bible – mostly from the book of
Revelation, with additional text from the book of Psalms and one verse from the book of Isaiah.
The oratorio tells the story of John’s prophetic visions regarding the book of seven seals, the judgement of man and destruction of the earth, and the “new world” that God will deliver.
Part I, Welt-Ende (World’s End), begins with section A, the “Vision of Saint John.”143
This section divides into three movements: a recitative and aria, a second recitative, and “Angels
Chorus.” The first movement is in three segments: an opening orchestral introduction (A), the recitative (B), and aria (C), which is in ternary form. The orchestral introduction presents a
leitmotif in the woodwinds that returns in Part III (New World) of the oratorio (Example 4.36).
Example 4.36 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 3
143 The character (Saint John) refers to John, the author of the book of Revelation. While many assume this is the apostle John, scholars suggest, due to the date of composition, that it could not have been John the Apostle. Many refer to him as John of Patmos.
120 A review of the oratorio, included in an April 1883 edition of The Musical Times and Singing
Class Circular, refers to the leitmotif as the “throne theme” and has a connection with the
“divine being.”144 The use of arpeggiated E major chords at the end of the motive is similar to the treatment of other themes in compositions that reference war or battle (e.g., Wachet auf! and
Deutschlands Auferstehung). Prior to the beginning of the recitative, the theme repeats one last time in the flute. The final repetition of the “throne theme” precedes seven staggered entrances in the strings, building a sustained E major chord (Example 4.37).
Example 4.37 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 5
The seven entrances symbolically connect to the book of seven seals, the main dramatic element that drives the plot of the oratorio. This symbolic use of seven in the orchestra appears again
144 “Reviews,” The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular 24, no. 482 (1883): 206– 207. 121 after Saint John recites, “and I saw in the right hand of him upon the Throne, a book, sealed with seven seals,” with the timpani and trumpet sounding seven times. The recitative transitions from the initial key of E major, through its relative minor, and through F minor and A♭ minor before transitioning to A♭ major for the aria. Raff ends the first movement with two verses from Psalm
27 that act as a prayer for mercy and grace in the face of imminent destruction. The subsequent aria, with its gentle accompaniment from the orchestra, reflects this prayer, and Raff forgoes the use of most of the brass section, with the exception of two horns.
The second recitative (movement 2) tells of John’s vision of “the slain lamb,” in a reference to Jesus, who is the only worthy one able to open or look at the book of the seven seals.
The recitative ends with the baritone soloist telling of the “angels around the throne,” which leads to the last movement, the “Angel’s Chorus.”
The “Angel’s Chorus,” the third movement, consists of three soprano voices, one alto voice, and orchestra.145 This movement is in binary form (AB) with the first section repeating the text “the lamb that was slain” imitatively between the voices. The initial section highlights this text with long-held, weeping suspensions before arriving at the second, more homophonic section, which communicates how God is “worthy to receive all strength and riches and wisdom and power and glory and praise.” Raff initially treats this text as homophonic, but that changes when the choir sings “praise,” which features long, forte, multisyllabic vocal lines to color the text. Raff ends section A of Part I (“The Vision of Saint John”) in a coda that features a series of quiet, solemn “Amen[s].”
145 A more practical solution to this is to split both the soprano and alto sections into two sections, with the Alto I section taking over the Soprano III line. The Soprano III line is well within the range for alto voices. 122 The second section of Part I (section B), “The Apocalyptic Riders,” is in eight movements. The section includes four recitatives (performed by Saint John), each followed by an orchestral intermezzo. Saint John describes the destruction that each rider brings, and the subsequent intermezzos are musical depictions of the destruction.
Section B includes the opening of the first four seals, after each of which an apocalyptic rider appears on a horse of a different color: white, red, black, and pale. The first recitative, the fourth movement, depicts the rider on the white horse. The recitative introduces a rhythmic figure that depicts the rider on the horse. The recitative, in a brisk tempo and 6/4 meter, uses a half note followed by two eighth notes repetitively in the clarinets to sound like galloping. The rhythmic figure bridges the recitative and subsequent intermezzo (movement 5), “The
Pestilence.” The rhythmic motive begins with octave leaps between the half note and two eighth notes and develops into a series of random intervals, while the orchestra creates harmonically ambiguous “plains” of sounds with long, wearisome lines, depicting the rider galloping across the earth and delivering the “pestilence” (Example 4.38). Raff ends the “pestilence” with a chorale-like conclusion in the orchestra. The first three intermezzos use this chorale-like ending with a prominent motive in the first violin (Example 4.39).
Example 4.38 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 25
123
Example 4.39 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 30
The second recitative, the seventh movement, introduces the rider from the second seal.
The rider on the red horse has the power to cause war and “to take peace from the earth.” A modification of the previous “galloping” rhythmic figures returns at the beginning of the second intermezzo (movement 8), “The War.” Due to the 4/4 time signature, the “galloping” rhythm is written as an eighth note followed by two sixteenth notes. This intermezzo has a militaristic quality, prominently using the brass section with arpeggiated triads (Raff’s signal for war or battle), a stark contrast to the previous intermezzo.
The third recitative, the ninth movement, introduces the third rider on the black horse, which brings with it famine. The accompanying intermezzo, “The Famine,” is short and only uses the strings and woodwinds. The lower strings, who never play on the strong beats of the 6/4 bar, accompany the first violin line that melodically meanders. The woodwinds strike on the strong beats and dramatically decrescendo, moving in parallel thirds and seconds that continue to
124 chromatically distance themselves from the minor key center (Raff uses B, D, and F minor)
(Example 4.40).
Example 4.40 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 59
The final recitative of section B, the tenth movement, introduces the fourth rider, whose
“name [is] death, and hell followed with him.” The fourth rider kills with war, famine, and
“beasts of the earth.” The dramatic recitative leads into the final intermezzo (movement 11),
“Death and Hell.” This intermezzo begins with the concluding motive from the previous three intermezzos, in diminutive form. The theme begins in the cellos in bar two before modifying for the second violin entrance (Example 4.41). The imitative entrances continue every four bars until each string section has entered (with the exception of the contrabass). The motive continues through the first half of the intermezzo in the strings. The last section features the full force of the orchestra, with fortissimo tremolos and rapidly ascending and descending chromatic scales in the strings and woodwinds. These musical qualities, along with the ambiguous tonality, create an
125
Example 4.41 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 61 effect of chaos. There is no musical comfort, no centering, no resolution until the final bars and the ominous conclusion using only an open fifth (E and B).
After the riders laid waste to the earth, there is a change in subject in the libretto, focusing on the martyrs. Section C of Part I, the “Petition and Thanksgiving of the Martyrs,” contains two recitatives separated by two choruses, the first and second Chorus of Martyrs.
The “Petition and Thanksgiving of the Martyrs” begins with the first recitative, movement 12, in which Saint John depicts the lifting of the fifth seal; he observes the martyrs who were “slain for the word of God and the testimony they had given.” The recitative begins with a familiar ascending pizzicato entrance from the strings in F minor. A different modification of this figure begins each recitative that involves the first four seals, but unlike the first four, which are more harmonically ambiguous, this motive is firmly in F minor. In addition, Raff spends more time introducing the soloist. In previous recitatives, the entrances were short, only using the strings, while this introduction includes the use of the horns and woodwinds. The
126 recitative ends with a prompt from the soloist, saying “[the martyrs] cried with loud voices
[saying],” which transitions, without a break, into the subsequent chorus. Four bars before the beginning of the chorus, Raff changes the meter to 6/4 and introduces a rhythmic figure (four sixteenth notes followed by an eighth note) in the strings that bridges the transition into the first
Chorus of Martyrs.
The chorus takes on the character of the martyrs in the thirteenth movement, the “First
Chorus of Martyrs,” and communicates their desire for God to judge those on earth. The chorus consists of two fugue-like sections (AB) followed by a coda. The A section (F minor) orchestration is thin, with the woodwinds and minimal use of the horns supporting the choir singing, “Lord Thou Holy One, true and righteous!” The second fugal section, in A♭ major, has a long motive lasting seven bars. Raff introduces the motive in every voice beginning in the bass, while the strings (after concluding their rhythmic figure from the first section) create a contrasting legato accompaniment for the chorus. The motive repeats again in each voice, this time slightly modified for length and with a shortened stretto, before a homophonic ending in the choir. The change to A♭ major offers a brighter quality considering the dark text, “How long do you not judge and do not avenge our blood on those who dwell upon thee earth,” that calls for justice for the martyrs. While this motive projects a lighter mood, Raff does not let the feeling linger and transitions back to F minor to color the choir’s cries, singing loudly, “our blood.” The choir continues to softly repeat “our blood” before a short iteration of the original motive using the text “Lord, Thou Holy One.”
The following recitative by Saint John in the fourteenth movement has no introduction and depicts the martyrs, who all receive white robes and are told to “rest” until those on earth
127 “suffer death as they had suffered death.” The recitative begins in F minor and transitions directly into the “Second Chorus of Martyrs” beginning in F major.
The text from the first three movements comes from Revelation 6:9–11. The following verse portrays the opening of the sixth seal, but before Raff uses that text, he uses two verses from Revelation 11:17–18 depicting the martyrs thanking God, proclaiming the time for judgement has come, and asking God, again, to quicken those who “have destroyed the earth.”
The final chorus, movement 15, is in four sections (ABCA´). The orchestral introduction begins with a fugue of the main subject, which continues until the full choir enters repeating the main motive homophonically, singing, “We thank Thee, O Lord, Almighty God, that Thou hast girded on Thy mighty pow'r and reignest.” The initial homophonic presentation of the theme gives way to a small fugue-like treatment before the A section ends.
The triumphant A section turns to a darker B section when Raff transitions quickly through several keys to color God’s wrath and the impending judgement of the dead. Between the B and C sections, Raff presents the initial theme, but develops it slightly to transition to A♭ major. The beginning of the C section is lighter in texture and harmonic weight, but only temporarily, as the chorus of martyrs speak about how God will destroy those who “spoiled the earth.” Raff sets this text in G minor with quick, cutting string figures before returning to F major for the final A section. The last choral phrase is distinct, using a forte homophonic setting of the text “we thank thee, O Lord, the Almighty God.” When the choir sings “Almighty God,” the orchestral texture reduces to enable the audience to hear the sincere pianissimo setting of the text. The dichotomy between the first and second halves of the phrase shows both the martyrs’ thankfulness and their reverence for God. After the conclusion of this phrase, the orchestra builds, giving one more climax before the conclusion of section C.
128 Section D, titled “Last Signs in Nature and Despair of Mankind,” is the conclusion of
Part I and depicts the breaking of the sixth seal, which brings about the destruction of the earth and the day of wrath. The section includes five movements and introduces a new character, A
Voice, which begins the section. The new character is nonspecific and functions as a contrasting element to the frequent recitatives by Saint John. This section also includes all styles presented in previous sections: recitative, aria, intermezzo, and chorus.
The first movement (movement 16) of the “Last Signs in Nature and Despair of
Mankind” is a recitative and aria by A Voice. The small orchestral introduction, in D minor, presents a dark, ominous mood before the lyrical entrance of the mezzo-soprano, who asks God to “thrust thy sickle” for “the time of reaping has come” and “the harvest of the Earth is ripe.”
Raff transitions to D major and reduces the tempo from allegro to adagio for the subsequent aria.
The text of the aria focuses on praising the works of God and glorifying His “holy name.” Raff sets the aria in ABA´ form with long, legato lines for the soloist, supported by a simple orchestral accompaniment that adds its own flourishes at the end of each phrase.
The seventeenth movement, a recitative by Saint John, speaks of the sixth seal being broken, which unleashes a “great earth quake,” the “sun [becomes] as a sackcloth of hair,” the moon turns the color of blood, “stars fell from the Heaven,” and “Heaven . . . parted as a mighty scroll and all the mountains and islands were moved out of their places.” The entrance includes a familiar ascending pizzicato string figure that comes at the beginning of each recitative that breaks one of the seven seals. The strings “shake” using thirty-second-note rhythmic figures to color the earthquake brought by the breaking of the sixth seal.
The eighteenth movement, an intermezzo named “The Last Signs,” lacks clearly delineated sections, and Raff chooses to prioritize musical effect and harmonic “landscape.” The
129 movement begins with a soft roll on the timpani and an ascending chromatic line in the trombone, followed by the strings playing quick, successive leaps of thirds and sixths. The absence of a main focus and tonal center amplifies the hopelessness portrayed in this text. Other notable features include the use of the woodwinds, high in their range, floating and suspending over each other with only the trembling strings below. This continues while the woodwinds chromatically descend like stars falling to the earth. The initial string leaps return and transition, without pause, into the final recitative of Part I.
The recitative (movement 19) establishes the characters (the kings, great ones, richman, chief captains, mightyman, bondman, and freemen) by naming them in succession before the beginning of the next chorus. Movement 20, “Chorus,” begins in E minor, and the chorus, taking on the characters named in the recitative, ask the “mountains” and the “rocks” to “fall on [them]” to “hide them from the face of him” whose wrath has come. This movement is in four sections; the first two include the text from Revelation 6:16 and include two fugal sections. The third section changes texture to a more homophonic treatment of the text “who can stand before him?”
The choir repeats “who?” each time with more intensity before the homophonic full statement of
Revelation 6:17. The final section repeats both themes from the first two fugal sections, building to a climax by repeating the text “fall on us.” The orchestral texture dramatically reduces to a piano plea, saying “hide us.” The soft sounds of the strings and rumble of the timpani foreshadow the coming doom of Part II, “The Judgement.”
Part II consists of nine movements: four recitatives, three intermezzos, one movement for double choir, and one movement that contains both an arioso and chorus. The structure alternates recitatives with intermezzos or double chorus before arriving at the final arioso and chorus. The text of Part II depicts the lifting of the seventh seal and the blowing of the seven trumpets given
130 to the seven angels. God calls all to be judged by their works and to see if their name is in the
Book of Life. If someone’s name is absent, then they will be “thrown into the fiery lake.” Raff continues this section in the same stylistic manner of Part I, often forgoing an adherence to a key center and traditional harmonic movement in favor of dramatizing the narrative of the text.
Movement 21, a recitative of Saint John, depicts the lifting of the seventh seal, which causes a “silence in heaven.” The movement begins with a final iterance of the string figure that introduces each recitative that references the Book of the Seven Seals. After the lifting of the seal, Raff reduces the orchestral texture to single instruments sustaining held notes in disjunct intervals (Example 4.42). The effect represents the silence in heaven, but there is still a shimmering of sound, like an echo after all sound ceases, or the ringing in one’s ears after a deafening sound. The recitative ends with a depiction of the seven angels around the throne blowing their trumpets.
Example 4.42 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 177
131 Movement 21 transitions into the intermezzo (movement 22), “Trumpet-Call,” without pause. The brief intermezzo represents the trumpet call from the seven angels. Raff uses the horns, trumpets, trombones, and tuba in seven parts, staggering their entrances with a repetitive, marshal rhythm. Each entrance builds the harmonic texture and expands dynamically, reaching a climax at the end of the eighteen-bar intermezzo.
Movement 23 begins without pause from the “trumpet call,” and Saint John tells of the
“earth” and “sea . . . giving up the dead.” The following intermezzo (movement 24), titled “The
Resurrection,” is through-composed and in four sections (ABCD). Each section adds intensity through the expansion of the orchestral texture and the progressively increasing rhythmic vitality. In addition, the A minor tonality at the beginning develops into small sections of temporary tonicizations, eventually making rapid chromatic transitions at the end of the movement. In addition to the rhythmic and harmonic elements, Raff increases the tempo in the final section and pushes the violins and woodwinds high into their range as they build to the final
E major chord. The quickly ascending lines and continuous intensification of dynamics dramatize those who were lifted from their graves on earth.
This movement also features three important motives in the bass (Figures 4.2, 4.3, 4.4).
Motive one occurs sixteen times throughout the intermezzo, with motives two and three occurring four times each. A note included in the 1883 full score editions note that motive two is the “death” motive and motive three is the “hell” motive.146 The movement begins with nine repetitions of motive one followed by four repetitions of motive two. One repetition of motive one follows the initial repetitions of motive two, before four repetitions of motive three. The
146 Joseph Joachim Raff, Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, op. 212 (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1883), 179.
132 movement concludes with six repetitions of motive one. While the figures represent the original form of each motive, Raff maintains the structure of each motive throughout while adding additional material. Each change of motive delineates a new section of the movement.
Figure 4.2 “The Resurrection” Motive 1, Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt
Figure 4.3 “The Resurrection” Motive 2, Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt
Figure 4.4 “The Resurrection” Motive 3, Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt
“The Resurrection” concludes with Saint John describing the “great and small” standing before God as the “Book of Life” opens (movement 25). The subsequent choral movement
(movement 26) is unique to the entire oratorio. The chorus, in ABA´ form, consists of two SATB choirs (and orchestra) that portray two different characters: “The Righteous” and “The Wicked.”
Both choirs sing text from the book of Psalms; “The Righteous” sing the Lord’s praise, and “The
Wicked” ask for God’s mercy. Raff colors the fates of both groups with the tessitura of the vocal lines and the harmonic center. Choir one (“The Righteous”) often sings much higher than the condemned choir two. The choirs often sing antiphonally, and the key changes between major and minor – major for “The Righteous” and minor for “The Wicked.” In addition to the difference in harmonic centers, choir two has more chromatic material than choir one and also has notable timpani rolls to dramatize their fate. The movement also features an interesting use
133 of responsorial technique that pits the choirs against each other, saying either “My Lord” in praise or “O Lord” in fear.
Movement 27, a recitative by Saint John, recounts the judgement. If a person’s name is not in the Book of Life, they “will be cast out into the fiery lake,” which is “the second death.”
Raff reuses motive three (the “hell” motive) and then motive two (the “death” motive) from the previous intermezzo. The use of the motives gives a figurative representation of those thrown into the “fiery lake” (hell) which is the “second death.”
The “death” motive accompanies an intense succession of thirty-second notes in the violins that transitions into the final intermezzo of Part II, titled “The Judgement” (movement
28). The movement divides into two sections: the judgement of “The Righteous” and the judgement of “The Wicked.” The first violins continue at the beginning of the intermezzo, adding the second violins and violas before the trumpet revives the original leitmotif from the first movement in C major. Raff portrays the judgement of “The Righteous” with long, arching, legato lines in the woodwinds and horn and the flutes climbing high above the staff, like an ascension to heaven. The trembling thirty-second notes in the strings return to begin the judgement of “The Wicked.” Raff uses the original leitmotif, in C minor, the “hell” motive, and chromatically descending two-note figures in the woodwinds and strings to symbolize those thrown into the “fiery lake.” The figures continue with the addition of the timpani, eventually diminishing into a sustained E minor chord in the strings.
The final movement of Part II (movement 29) begins with an arioso from The Voice with text from Psalm 145:8–10 that gives thanks and praise to God for His mercy and glorious works.
The arioso, in an adagio C major, is short, and the arpeggiated string and woodwind lines provide a beautiful accompaniment for the mezzo-soprano soloist. “The Chorus,” with text from
134 Psalm 145:13, speaks of the eternal nature of God and his kingdom. Raff sets the chorus section into four parts (AA´A´´ coda). The first three sections contain a fugue. The theme begins in C major with the middle section in G Major and the final section returning to C major. The last segment is an extended coda expanding on previous material before the triumphant conclusion to the movement. The chorus is simple, with limited harmonic movement and simple melodic and rhythmic features. The orchestral parts are equally simple; the orchestra accompanies the chorus with arpeggiated chord structures in the strings and the woodwinds doubling the vocal lines, eventually expanding to a more homophonic orchestration in the final section.
Part III, “New World,” consists of seven movements and tells of how God has made all things new as the “first heaven and first earth has passed.” A holy city descends from heaven and the people of the earth will be God’s people. They will have eternal life and no “sorrow” or
“pain.” Part III includes one intermezzo, one aria, three choruses, one recitative, and one movement that includes a recitative and aria.
The opening intermezzo (movement 30), “New World,” is in four main sections
(ABA´B´) with an ending coda. Raff creates a musical landscape using floating lines from the violins, cello, oboe, and clarinet that portray the wonder of the new earth and new heaven. Raff limits the amount of harmonic material, in contrast to the intermezzos of Part II, and focuses on representing the “New World” through the long and beautiful motives and contrasting them with an array of other orchestral colors.
In movement 31, Saint John sees the “new heaven” and the “new earth,” for the “first earth passed away . . . and the sea was no more.” Saint John continues to tell of a “new holy city descending from heaven” and hears a voice from “the throne.” The recitative is simple and Raff uses simple text painting with the orchestra to give contrast to the vocal line. One such instance
135 is in the terraced, descending eighth-note lines in the violins and violas after Saint John sings of
“the new city descending from heaven” (Example 4.43).
Example 4.43 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 251
Movement 32 is an aria performed by The Voice acting as the voice from “the throne.”
Raff uses a chamber orchestra of just flutes, oboes, clarinets, horns, and strings, similar to the previous mezzo-soprano aria. The aria is in ABA´ form and, like the previous two movements, uses limited harmonic material. The soloist tells of God being “with men” and that they will not suffer the same pain from the previous world.
Raff begins movement 33, “Chorus,” with unison B-naturals in the horns that function as a modulatory pivot point. The B-natural is the fifth scale degree from the previous movement and the seventh scale degree of C major in movement 33. The horns resolve into the tonic triad and the first violins present the first theme. This movement is in three sections (ABA´) and uses a primarily homophonic choral texture with small instances of imitative entrances. The B section contains the same homophonic texture in the chorus, but Raff forgoes the use of the orchestra,
136 resulting in an a cappella, chorale-like presentation of Psalm 5:12. The full verse is restated with marching strings and woodwinds followed by the return of the A´ section.
The subsequent recitative (movement 34) is the only recitative to employ the use of the entire orchestra. The sustained strings support the leitmotif in the first flute and clarinet before the entrance of Saint John. The recitative is only one line, “And he that sat upon the throne said,” before the transition to his aria. The aria is through-composed in three sections (ABC). Raff, again, uses very literal word painting. In the B section, Raff uses chains of arching arpeggiated triplets in the clarinet and oboe to mimic the sound of the “living waters” (Example 4.44).
Example 4.44 Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, pg. 283
Movement 35 is a chorus (no title given) with text from Isaiah 35:10 that is a reflection on the
Revelation text. The text “tells of the ‘redeemed of the Lord, shall return’” and “joy and gladness shall be upon them . . . and sighing shall flee away.” Similar to the last chorus, Raff chooses to
137 use a primarily homophonic texture and small instances of the imitative entrances. The movement is in ABA´ form with a small coda. The choral writing is simple, using mostly conjunct lines with limited extended harmonic material. Like the previous movement, the chorus includes direct text painting, such as the use of ascending and descending half-step figures in the chorus to mimic the “sighing” and “sorrow.”
The final chorus (movement 36) is in two parts (AB). The first section includes ambiguous tonality and seemingly random choral pleas asking the “redeemer” to “come soon.”
The final section, also in two parts (AB), is a fugue using the second theme from the first movement as the main theme. The text “the grace of our Lord be with us” acts as a benediction to the oratorio, finally ending with the last segment of section B where the choir presents the final text. The text “Amen,” typically the final word in a prayer, brings closure to the oratorio, driving with the full force of the orchestra into the final cadence. Raff gives a cyclic nature to the oratorio, ending on a rollicking E major chord, the same key of movement one.
This oratorio, despite its general accessibility and high quality, is absent from the general oeuvre of choral-orchestral works of the nineteenth century. The choral writing, in general, is accessible for adult choruses. While Raff does use the full range of each voice part, the writing has approachable voice leading and, with the exception of the choral movements in Part II, the harmonic material is not challenging. The oratorio requires a quality baritone and mezzo-soprano and very capable orchestra, but organizations that can professionally hire these forces or collaborate with other organizations may find this piece appealing.
138 CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSIONS
Joachim Raff had a multifaceted career. Raff’s compositional oeuvre spans almost every genre, and his compositional portfolio shows his affinity for a wide range of compositional styles. Rather than siding with either the conservative or radical factions of the Romantic era,
Raff’s eclectic style used techniques that prioritized compositional context as it relates to the text or theme of the composition. Raff’s oratorio, Welt-Ende – Gericht – Neue Welt, op. 212, is an example of this eclecticism, in which musically descriptive intermezzos (similar to his tone poems) and prominent use of extended harmony exist alongside choral fugues, chorales, and secco recitatives.
Raff is consistent in his quality of orchestration. The choral-orchestral compositions have balance between the musical forces, and there is rarely a moment when one section continuously dominates the musical focus. In contrast to many choral-orchestral works of the era in which the vocal forces dominate the musical focus throughout the composition, Raff structures his compositions to share the musical focus more equally between the two.
Raff’s choral works vary in difficulty, making his compositions accessible to many different types of choirs. The unaccompanied works offer a variety of material accessible to secondary choruses and adult choruses. The part-songs offer the widest variety of accessibility, and the pieces written for TTBB chorus assist in filling a gap within that genre from that era.
Raff’s choral-orchestral works are particularly accessible to community choirs and other auditioned adult ensembles. The choral writing in the choral-orchestral works, although there are a few difficult fugues and movements of extended harmony, are of medium difficulty and can be
139 prepared in a small amount of rehearsals. The orchestral parts are of the highest quality and offer orchestral players the opportunity to collaborate on a work where they are more than accompaniment for the chorus. Programming a choral-orchestral composition (or any of Raff’s choral works) allows an opportunity to experience a high-quality composer while exposing audiences to less performed works.
Recommendations for Further Research
This study covers the available choral works of Joachim Raff. Four compositions, due to either being lost, falling outside the scope of this study, or lacking availability, were omitted from this study.147 In addition to these compositions, Raff planned several choral works that never came to fruition due to his death. Further research needs to be completed on the works omitted from this study, and more investigation into the planned works (analysis of sketches, rough drafts, etc.) needs to be completed to determine the extent of completion. Currently, Raff research is expanding; the Joachim Raff Gesellschaft, located in Lachen, Switzerland, is compiling an archive of compositions, correspondence, and other rare materials that will be available soon. These resources may contain additional information for works inside and outside of this study.
This study also did not include any investigations into Raff’s compositions for vocal solo, duet, or any operas. Raff had an affinity for the voice that extended beyond his choral collection.
Currently only one study, by Johnson, focuses on the vocal works of Raff. A study concerning the rest of his vocal works or his operas is a worthwhile subject. Finally, there are few modern performance editions currently available. Creating and publishing new performance editions
147 Relevant details of the omitted compositions are included in Appendix A.
140 increases exposure to Raff’s compositions, and supplies a needed resource for those wishing to program his works.
141 APPENDIX A
CATALOG OF CHORAL WORKS
Opus/ No. Name of Date Voicing Length Orchestr- Author/Source Editions WoO Composition Composed ation of Text Number
Op. 80 Wachet auf! 1858 Bar. Soloist 20 min 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 Emanuel Geibel Schott, TTBB Solo cl, 2 bn, 2 (1815–1884) October Quartet tpt, 2 ten. 1862 TTBB Chorus tbn, 2 bass tbn, timp, strings Op. 97 Zehn Gesänge für 1853–1863 (See Below) 13 min Unaccomp. (See Below) Khant, Männerchor 1865 No. 1 “Trinklied” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. G. Freudenberg (DU) No. 2 “Morgenständchen” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Albert Träger (1830–1912) No. 3 “Untreue” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Hans Hopfen (1835–1904) No. 4 “Wanderlust” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798–1874) No. 5 “Nachtgruss” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788–1857) No. 6 “Ballade” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Ernst Moritz Arndt (1769– 1860) No. 7 “Die Gefangenen TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Max von Sänger” Schenkendorf (1783–1817) No. 8 “Am Morgen” TTB(B)B Unaccomp. Hermann Chorus (Ritter von) Lingg (1820– 1905) No. 9 “Jägerleben” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Ernst (Schleiden) (d. u.) No. “Der Liebste TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Unknown- 10 Buhle” Folksong Origin Op. 100 Deutschlands 1862–1863 Bar. Soloist, 22 min Picc, 2 fl, 2 Friedrich Khant, Auferstehung TTBB Chorus ob, 2 cl, 2 Konrad Müller 1864 bn, 2 (Müller von der G. natural hn, Werra) (1823– Schirmer, 2 hn, 2 1881) 1889 natural tpt, (Vocal 2 tbn, bass Score) tbn, timp, strings Op. 122 Zehn Gesänge für 1853–1863 (See Below) 20 min Unaccomp. (See Below) Khant, Männerchor 1867 No. 1 “Drescherlied” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Johann Heinrich Voss (1751–1826)
142 Opus/ No. Name of Date Voicing Length Orchestr- Author/Source Editions WoO Composition Composed ation of Text Number No. 2 “Trinklied der TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Emanuel von Alten” Geibel (1815– 1884) No. 3 “Frühlingslied” TTB(B)B Unaccomp. Ludwig Chorus Christoph Heinrich Hölty (1748–1776) No. 4 “Die TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Gotthold Beredtsamkeit” Ephraim Lessing (1729– 1781) No. 5 “Wanderers TTB(B)B Unaccomp. Johann Nachtlied” Chorus Wolfgang von Goethe (1749– 1832) No. 6 “In der brust” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Heinrich Heine (1797– 1856) No. 7 “Soldatenabschied” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798–1874) No. 8 “Jägerlied” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Ernst Conrad Friedrich Schulze (1789– 1817) No. 9 “Abendsegen” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Michel Weise (d. u.) No. “Gruss” TTB(B)B Unaccomp. Heinrich VI, 10 Chorus Holy Roman Emperor (1165 –1197) Op. 141 De Profundis 1867 Sop. Soloist 40 min 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 Book of Schuberth SSAATTBB cl, 2 bn, 4 Psalms: Psalm , 1868 Chorus hrn, 2 tpt, 130 Edition alt. tbn, ten. Nordstern, tbn, bass 2000 tbnrb, timp, strings Op. 171 Zwei Gesänge für 1871 (See Below) 7.5 min 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 (See Below) Siegel, Gemischten Chor cl, 2 bn, 2 1872 hrn, timp, Siegel, strings 1880 with English text No. 1 “Im Kahn” SATB Chorus 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 Arnold Börner cl, 2 bn, 2 (a.k.a. Joachim hrn, timp, Raff) strings No. 2 “Der Tanz” SATB Solo 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 Paul Fleming Quartet cl, 2 bn, 2 (1609–1640) SATB Chorus hrn, timp, strings Op. Morgenlied 1873 SAT(T)B(B) 6 min 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 Johann Georg Siegel, 186A cl, 2 bn, 4 Jacobi (1740– 1874 hrn, 2 tpt, 1814) Siegel, alt. tbn, ten. 1877 tbn, bass (Vocal/Pi tbn, timp, ano) strings Edition Nordstern, 2018
143 Opus/ No. Name of Date Voicing Length Orchestr- Author/Source Editions WoO Composition Composed ation of Text Number Op. Einer Entschlafenen Soprano 7.5 min 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 Arnold Börner Siegel, 186B (Elegy) Soloist cl, 2 bn, 4 (a.k.a. Joachim 1874 SATB Chorus hrn, 2 tpt, Raff) Siegel, alt. tbn, ten. 1877 tbn, bass (Vocal/Pi tbn, timp, ano) strings Edition Nordstern, 2018 Op. 195 Zehn Gesänge für 1860–1870 (See Below) 14 min Unaccomp. (See Below) Khant, Männerchor 1876 English Version published in 1890 No. 1 “Fischerlied” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Friedrich von Schiller (1759– 1805) No. 2 “Hirtenlied” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Friedrich von Schiller (1759– 1805) No. 3 “AIpenjägerlied” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Friedrich von Schiller (1759– 1805) No. 4 “Kommt Brüder, TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. (Karl) Theodor trinkt froh mit mir” Korner (1791– 1813) No. 5 “Winterlied” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Friedrich Schiller (1788– 1805) No. 6 “Sterben ist ein TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Folksong – harte Buss” Origin Unknown No. 7 “Kosakentrinklied” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt (1819 - 1892) No. 8 “Es stand ein TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Matthias Sternlein am Claudius Himmel” (1740–1815) No. 9 “Ein König ist der TTB(B)B Unaccomp. Franz von Wein” Chorus Kobell (1803– 1882) No. “Das welte Gott” TTBB Chorus Unaccomp. Johann 10 Betichius (1650–1722) Op. 198 Zehn Gesänge für 1860–1874 (See Below) 19 min Unaccomp. Franz Alfred Seitz, Gemischten Chor Muth (1839– 1875 1890) Novello, 1880 (English version) Ries & Erler (formerly Seitz), 1991 No. 1 “Frülingsjubel” SAT(T)B Unaccomp. Franz Alfred Chorus Muth (1839– 1890) No. 2 “Ave Maria” SATB Chorus Unaccomp. Franz Alfred Muth (1839– 1890) No. 3 “Und dann nicht SATB Chorus Unaccomp. Franz Alfred mehr” Muth (1839– 1890) 144 Opus/ No. Name of Date Voicing Length Orchestr- Author/Source Editions WoO Composition Composed ation of Text Number No. 4 “Haidelieder I” SATB Chorus Unaccomp. Franz Alfred Muth (1839– 1890) No. 5 “Haidelieder II” SATB Chorus Unaccomp. Franz Alfred Muth (1839– 1890) No. 6 “Im Mondenglanz” SATB Chorus Unaccomp. Franz Alfred Muth (1839– 1890) No. 7 “Stilles Glück” SATB Chorus Unaccomp. Franz Alfred Muth (1839– 1890) No. 8 “Schneeglöckchen” SATB Chorus Unaccomp. Franz Alfred Muth (1839– 1890) No. 9 “Maitag” SATB Chorus Unaccomp. Franz Alfred Muth (1839– 1890) No. “Nachtgruss vom SA(A)T(T)B( Unaccomp. Franz Alfred 10 Rhein” B) Chorus Muth (1839– 1890) Op. 209 Die Tageszeiten 1877 SAT(T)B(B) 40 min 3 fl (3rd fl. Helge Heldt Breitkopf Chorus also picc.), a.k.a. Helene & Härtel, 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 Raff (1865– 1880 (Full bn, 4 hrn, 2 1942) Score and tpt, alt. tbn, Piano/Voc ten. tbn, al) bass tbn, Musikpro timp, duktion strings Höflich, 2009 (Study Score) Op. 212 Welt-Ende – 1879–1881 Sop. and Bar. 2 hrs 3 fl (3rd fl. Book of Breitkopf Gericht – Neue Soloists also picc.), Revelation, & Härtel, Welt: Oratorium SATB Chorus 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 Book of 1882 bn, 4 hrn, 2 Psalms, Book (Vocal/Pi tpt, alt. tbn, of Isaiah ano) ten. tbn, Breitkopf bass tbn, & Härtel, tba, timp, 1883 (Full strings Score with English and German Text) WoO. 8 Der 121 Psalm 1848 Sop. and Alt. Unknown picc, 2 fl, 2 Book of Lost (Lost) Soloists ob, 2 cl, 2 Psalms: Psalm SATB Chorus bn, 4 hrn, 2 121 tpt, 2 ten. trb, bass tbn, bass tba, timp, strings WoO. Der Entfesselte 1850 Soloists 2 hrs 3 fl (3rd fl. Johann Choruses 14A Prometheus Mixed Chorus also picc.), Gottfried von published (Raff’s arrangement 2 ob, eh, 2 Herder (1744– in 1855 of Liszt’s RV. 539) cl, bass cl, 1803) bsthn, 2 bn, 4 hrn, 2 tpt, alt. tbn, ten. tbn, bass tbn, tba, timp, strings
145 Opus/ No. Name of Date Voicing Length Orchestr- Author/Source Editions WoO Composition Composed ation of Text Number WoO. Dominum Salvum 1853 Tenor Soloist 4.5 min Wind “God Save the Breitkopf 15B Fac Regem TTBB Chorus Orchestra King” ~ Origin & Härtel, (Raff’s arrangement Unknown 1936 of Liszt’s S. 23) WoO. 16 Te Deum 1853 SATB Chorus 11 min 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 Rule of St. Edition cl, 2 bn, 4 Caesarius, A.D. Nordstern, hrn, 2 tpt, 2 502 2015 ten. tbn, bass tbn, timp, strings WoO. An die Künstler 1853 TTBB 12 min 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 Friedrich von Kühn, 16C Soloists cl, 2 bn, 4 Schiller (1759– 1854 TTBB Chorus hrn, 2 tpt, 2 1805) ten. trb, bass tbn, tba, timp, cymbal, hp, strings WoO. Nostrum 1855 SATB Chorus Unknown Unaccomp. Unknown Lost 18A Desiderium (Lost)148 WoO. 19 Dornröschen 1855 SATB Chorus 2 hrs picc, 2 fl, 2 Brothers Unpublish (Sleeping Beauty) (div) ob, 2 cl, 2 Grimm/Wilhel ed Multiple bn, 4 hrn, 2 m Genast Soloist Roles tbn, bass tbn, tba, bass drum, triangle, hp, strings WoO. 27 Four Marian 1868 (See Below) 15 min a cappella Antiphon for Edition Antiphons the Virgin Mary Nordstern, - Traditional 1999 No. 1 “Alma redemptoris SSATBB a cappella Antiphon for mater” the Virgin Mary - Traditional No. 2 “Ave regina SATBB a cappella Antiphon for coelorum” the Virgin Mary -Traditional No. 3 “Regina coeli” SSATB a cappella Antiphon for the Virgin Mary - Traditional No. 4 “Salve Regina” Double Choir a cappella Antiphon for SSAA/TTBB the Virgin Mary - Traditional WoO. Laudi Sion and 1868 Unknown Unknown Wind Roman Lost 30A Stabat Mater (Lost) instruments Catholic - Traditional WoO. 31 “Kyrie” and 1869 SSATBB 7.5 min a cappella Roman Manuscri “Gloria” from an Chorus Catholic ~ pt unfinished mass Traditional WoO. 32 Pater Noster 1869 SSSATTBB 7.5 min a cappella Book of Edition Matthew 6:9– Nordstern, 13 and/or Book 2004 of Luke 11:2–4 WoO. 33 Ave Maria 1869 Double Choir 8 min a cappella Roman Edition SSTB/SSTB Catholic ~ Nordstern, Traditional 1999 WoO. In dulci jubilo! 1874 SATB 2 min a cappella Unknown Breitkopf 41A & Härtel, 1875
148 Mark Thomas, The Music of Joachim Raff: An Illustrated Catalogue (Stuttgart: Edition Nordstern, Forthcoming 2019). 146 Opus/ No. Name of Date Voicing Length Orchestr- Author/Source Editions WoO Composition Composed ation of Text Number WoO. 53 Die Sterne 1880 SA(A)T(B)B 25 min 3 fl (3rd fl. Helge Heldt Edition also picc.), a.k.a. Helene Nordstern, 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 Raff (1865– 2013 bn, 4 hrn, 2 1942) tpt, alt. tbn, tbn, bass tbn, timp, strings.
147 APPENDIX B
ANALYSIS OF WELT-ENDE – GERICHT – NEUE WELT, OP. 212
Erste Abthellung: Welt-Ende | Part I: The World’s End A. Vision des Johannes | Vision of Saint John No. Type Title Tempo Meter Key Text Origin 1. Recitative & Aria “Und ich sah in Adagio 4/4 (C) E Major Revelation Saint John der rechten Hand å = 120 (C# Minor) 5:1–5 dessen” E Major “And I saw in (F Minor) the right (A♭ Minor) hand . . .” Larghetto 3/4 A♭ Major Psalm 27: å = 92 (E♭ Major) 7, 9 A♭ Major 2. Recitative “Und ich sah; Adagio 4/4 (C) A Minor Revelation Saint John und siehe, vor å = 120 (E Major) 5: 6–7, 11 dem Stuhle stand Transition to ein Lamm” G “And lo, I saw a Lamb before the Throne . . .” 3. Chorus “Das Lamm, das Andante 4/4 (C) G Major Revelation (Angel Chorus) erwürget ist” å = 138 (C Major) 5:12 “The Lamb that G Major was slain . . .” B. Die Apokalyptischen Reiter | The Apocalyptic Riders 4. Recitative “Und ich sah, L’istesso 6/4 G Minor Revelation Saint John dass das Lamm” tempo (A Minor, B 6:1–2 “And I saw that å = 138 Minor, the Lamb . . .” Allegro E Minor) Transitional å = 168
5. Intermezzo Die Pest Allegro 6/4 Implied F (M The Pestilence å = 168 or m) Transitional
6. Recitative “Und da es das Andante 4/4 (C) A (Intro A Revelation Saint John andere Siegel å = 144 Minor- Voice 6:3–4 aufthat” A Major- “And when the Briefly) second seal had Transitional broken . . .” A Minor
148 No. Type Title Tempo Meter Key Text Origin 7. Intermezzo Der Krieg L’istesso 4/4 (C) A Minor The War tempo (BM) å = 138 8. Recitative “Und da es das Largo 6/4 B Minor Revelation Saint John dritte Siegel (quasi Transitional? 6:5–6 aufthat” andante) “And when the ç. = 54 third seal was broken . . .” 9. Intermezzo Der Hunger Più mosso 6/4 B Minor The Famine D Minor F Minor A♭ Minor B Minor 10. Recitative “Und da es das Allegro 4/4 (C) D Minor Revelation Saint John vierte Siegel å = 160 (ENHAR) 6:7–8 aufthat” Transitional E “And when the Minor forth seal was broken . . .” 11. Intermezzo Tod und Hölle L’istesso 4/4 (C) E Minor Death and Hell tempo å = 160 C. Frage und Dank der Märtyrer | Petition and Thanksgiving of the Martyrs 12. Recitative “Und da es das Andante 4/4 (C) F Minor Revelation Saint John fünfte Siegel å = 132 6:9 aufthat” L’istesso 6/4 Transitional Revelation “And when the tempo F Minor 6:10 fifth seal was broken . . .” å = 132 13. Chorus “Herr, du L’istesso 6/4 F Minor Revelation (First Chorus of Heiliger und tempo A♭ Major 6:10 Martyrs) Wahrhaftiger” å = 132 F Minor “Lord, Thou Holy one . . .” 14. Recitative “Und ihnen L’istesso 4/4 (C) F Minor Revelation Saint John wurde gegeben” tempo Transitional 6:11 “And unto å = 132 F Major everyone was given . . .” 15. Chorus “Wir danken dir, Allegro 4/4 (C) F Major Revelation (Second Chorus of Herr, ç = 96 A♭ Major 11:17–18 Martyrs) allmächtiger Transitional Gott” (C Minor) “We thank thee, F Major O Lord, almighty God . . .” 149 D. Letzte Zeichen in der Natur und Verzweiflung der Menschen | Last Signs in Nature and Despair of Mankind No. Type Title Tempo Meter Key Text Origin 16. Recitative & Aria “Schlage an mit Allegro 6/8 D Minor Revelation A Voice deiner Sichel” â = 188 14:15, 18 “Thrust in with Adagio 4/4 (C) D Major Revelation thy sickle . . .” å = 96 15:3–4 17. Recitative “Und ich sah, Andante 4/4 (C) F Minor Revelation Saint John dass es das con moto (Beginning is 6:12–14 sechste Siegel å = 138 clouded, but F aufthat” Minor is the “And I saw that first clear he had had cadence in opened the sixth bar 5) seal . . .” C Minor A Minor 18. Intermezzo Die Letzten L’istesso 4/4 (C) A Minor Zeichen tempo Transitional The Last Signs å = 138 19. Recitative “Und die Könige L’istesso 4/4 (C) Transitional? Revelation Saint John auf Erden” tempo A minor? 6:15–16 “And the kings å = 138 of all the earth . . .”
20. Chorus “Fallet auf uns Allegro 3/4 E Minor Revelation und verberget å = 172 C Major 6:16–17 uns” (E Major) “Fall on us and (B♭ Major) hide us . . .” Transitional E Minor
Zweite Abtheilung: Gericht | Part II: The Judgement No. Type Title Tempo Meter Key Text Origin 21. Recitative “Und da es das Allegro 4/4 (C) D Minor Revelation Saint John siebente Siegel å = 130 Transitional 8:1–2 aufthat” “And when the seventh seal had broken . . .” 22. Intermezzo Posaunenruf Adagio 4/4 (C) A Minor Trumpet Call å = 108 G Major
150 No. Type Title Tempo Meter Key Text Origin 23. Recitative “Und die Erde L’istesso 4/4 (C) C Minor Revelation Saint John und das Meer” tempo (G Minor) 20:13 “And the Earth å = 108 Transitional and the Sea . . .” A Minor 24. Intermezzo Die L’istesso 4/4 (C) A Minor Auferstehung tempo D Minor The å = 108 Resurrection Più mosso 4/4 (C) A Minor å = 152 Transitional 25. Recitative “Und ich sah die (un poco 4/4 (C) E Minor Revelation Saint John Todten” ritardando) Transitional 20:12 “And I saw the å = 130 dead . . .” 26. Double Chorus “Mein Herr, ich L’istesso 4/4 (C) G Major Psalm Chorus One: The hoffe auf dich” tempo G Minor 25:2,6 Righteous “My Lord I hope å = 130 (C Major) in Thee” (C Minor) Chorus “Ach Herr, (E♭ Major) Psalm 6:1,5 Two: strafe mich (B♭ Major) The nicht” Transitional Wicked “Ah Lord, G Major chastise me not . . .” 27. Recitative “Und die Todten Adagio 4/4 (C) G Minor Revelation Saint John wurden å = 108 Transitional 20:12,15 gerichtet” (B Minor) “And the dead were judged . . .” 28. Intermezzo Das Gericht Adagio 4/4 (C) Transitional The Judgement å = 108 F Major F Minor Transitional C Major 29. Arioso & Chorus “Gnädig und L’istesso 4/4 (C) C Major Psalm A Voice barmherig ist der tempo G Major 145:8–10 Herr” å = 108 A Minor (A Voice) “Gracious and Chorus- Psalm merciful is the C Major 145:13 Lord . . .” G Major (Choir) E Minor C Major
Dritte Abtheilung: Neue Welt | Part III: The New World No. Type Title Tempo Meter Key Text Origin 30. Intermezzo Andante 4/4 (C) B♭ Major å = 132 (F Major) B♭ Major 151 No. Type Title Tempo Meter Key Text Origin 31. Recitative “Und ich sah Adagio 4/4 (C) D♭ Major Revelation Saint John einen neuen” å = 104 C Major 21:1–3 “And I saw a (E Major) new Heaven . . .” 32. Aria “Siehe da eine Adagio 4/4 (C) E Major Revelation A Voice Hütte Gottes bei å = 104 B Major 21:3–4 den Menschen” E Major “Behold the house of God is with men . . .” 33. Chorus “Lass sich Allegretto 4/4 (C) C Major Psalm freuen alle” å = 144 G Major 5:11–12 “Be joyful all E♭ Major who trust in C Major Thee . . .” 34. Recitative and Aria “Und der auf Larghetto 4/4 (C) A Major Revelation Saint John dem Stuhle sass å = 96 (E Major) 21:5 sprach” 3/4 (C Major) Revelation “And He that sat A Major 21:5–7 upon the throne . . .” 35. Chorus “Die Erlöseten Larghetto 9/8 E Major Isaiah des Herrn å. = 96 (B Major) 35:10 werden A♭ Major kommen” C Minor “The redeemed (D Minor) of the Lord shall E Major return . . .” Transitional E Major 36. Chorus “Komm, ja Adagio 4/4 (C) Transitional Revelation komme bald, å = 108 22:20 Erlöser!” Doppio 2/2 E Major Revelation “Come, yea movimento (B Major) 22:21 come soon, ç = 126 Transitional Redeemer!” E Major
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153 Johnson, Molly Jane. “Maria Stuart, Opus 172: A Song Cycle by Joseph Joachim Raff Based on the Poetry of Mary Queen of Scots.” Order No. 9808750, PhD diss., Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, 1997. ProQuest (304371824).
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———. Liner notes for Joachim Raff (1822–1882) Works for Choir, Piano & Orchestra. Sterling CDS 1089-2, 2010, compact disc.
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———. Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor, op. 122, Heft 1, Leipzig: Kahnt, 1867.
———. Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor, op. 122, Heft 2, Leipzig: Kahnt, 1867.
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154 ———. Zehn Gesänge für Männerchor, op. 195, Heft 2, Leipzig: Kahnt, 1876.
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———. Die Sterne: Kantate für Chor und Orchester: WoO. 53. Stuttgart: Edition Nordstern, 2013.
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156 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Jeremy Wiggins, a California native, maintains an active schedule as a conductor, clinician, and presenter throughout the United States. Wiggins earned a MM in Choral Conducting in 2015 and a BA in Choral Music Education in 2007, both from California State University, Fullerton.
Prior to pursuing his doctorate, Wiggins taught secondary choral music in southern
California for eight years. His choirs at West Covina High School and San Clemente High
School consistently performed at the highest level, reflected by the high marks received at regional, state, and national choral festivals.
Wiggins recently conducted the US premiere of Pēteris Vasks Da Pacem Domine and prepared the FSU Opera Chorus for the collegiate premiere of Carlisle Floyd’s Prince of Players.
Wiggins’s research interests include Romantic choral repertoire, conducting and rehearsal pedagogy, and issues surrounding urban music education with an emphasis on socially and culturally responsive teaching practices. He seeks opportunities to contribute to the body of research in these areas and has recently presented on the topics at conferences throughout the
United States.
Wiggins has received conducting training from André Thomas, Kevin Fenton, Robert
Istad, Duain Wolf, John Alexander, Jerry Blackstone, David Hayes, Lucinda Carver, and
William Dehning, and has performed under the batons of Esa-Pekka Solonen, James Conlon,
Carl St. Clair, Keith Lockhart, John Mauceri, and John Williams.
Beginning fall 2019, Wiggins will join the music faculty of Western Connecticut State
University as an Assistant Professor of Music, Coordinator of Graduate Studies and Choral
Activities.
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