– Composer: Joseph Joachim Raff (27 May 1822 — 24/25 June 1882)
– Performers: Ensemble “Il Trittico”:
Jan Schultsz (piano), Jonathan Allen (violin), Anahit Kurtikyan (violin), David Greenlees (viola), Daniel Pezzotti (cello)
– Year of recording: 2007
Grand Quintuor, for piano quintet in A minor, Op. 107, written in 1862.
00:00 – I. Allegro mosso assai
10:37 – II. Allegro vivace, quasi presto
16:05 – III. Andante, quasi larghetto mosso
26:56 – IV. Allegro brioso, patetico
It can be argued with some success that the present tendency to judge Raff by his orchestral, and particularly his symphonic, output is doing him a disservice and detracts from Raff’s claim to a permanent place in the musical pantheon. The concentration on his orchestral oeuvre, for example, ignores the fact that he wrote much more music for chamber ensembles than he did for orchestral forces. An examination of many of his chamber works shows a consistency of inspiration not found in some of the symphonies.
One such chamber master work is Raff’s Piano Quintet in A minor Op. 107 – called by him a Grand Quintuor to emphasise the symphonic scale of the work. Although Raff wrote a Fantasy for piano and string quartet, the Piano Quintet shares with the Cello Sonata the distinction of being the sole example of its genre in Raff’s chamber output. Perhaps one reason for its uniqueness is that he found writing it difficult. He wrote to his wife: “I can say that my strength increases with my task and this is necessary, for it is more difficult than a symphony or a string quartet, and I can well understand why even Beethoven kept his hands from it; since Schumann’s sole quintet, nothing in this line has been accomplished”.
On hearing the completed Quintet, Raff’s great friend the conductor and pianist Hans von Bülow wrote to him: “I cannot but admit that your quintet is your best, and the most remarkable work in the field of chamber music since Beethoven”. Dedicated to the King of the Netherlands, the piece was completed by Raff in 1862 and published by Schuberth & Co. two years later. Despite Raff’s symphonic pretensions and its length of over half an hour, the Quintet is a model of the best in his chamber music – unendingly melodious, each movement is built on classic principles and the whole work is in perfect proportion, employing and demanding great technical skill without either composer or performer degenerating into mere virtuosity.
The opening Allegro mosso assai is an extended dramatic piece which is contrasted by a much shorter Allegro vivace, quasi presto second movement. After this light relief comes a long, deeply felt Andante, quasi larghetto mosso – the emotional centre of the work. The finale Allegro brioso, patetico is another contrast – it is full of high spirits and makes a virtuosic conclusion to a masterful work.
The Piano Quintet is dedicated to: “S.M. le Roi des Pays-Bas, Guillaume III [His Majesty the King of The Netherlands, Willem III]”.