Joachim Raff and Breitkopf & Härtel: A Journey of Musical Transformation

The relationship between Joachim Raff and the publishing house Breitkopf & Härtel, one of the most renowned music publishers of his time, was characterized by artistic development and a dynamic interplay between composer and publisher. This connection began with a recommendation from Felix Mendelssohn, who sent some of Raff's early piano pieces to Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig. In his accompanying letter, Mendelssohn remarked that these works "would be paid for in gold if the author already had a name." Since Raff was still unknown at the time, Mendelssohn asked the publisher to at least cover the publication costs. This recommendation led to Breitkopf & Härtel publishing 12 of Raff's piano works between 1844 and 1846, marking a significant turning point in his career. However, as the pieces sold poorly—presumably due to their great technical difficulties—the publisher ceased working with Raff after 1846.

It was only at the height of his fame, towards the mid-1870s, that Breitkopf & Härtel approached Raff again to resume their business relationship. The publisher suggested a republication of his early piano works. Raff's early compositions reflected his talent and ability to write catchy and technically demanding music. These pieces were not only a springboard for his career but also formed the basis for his later musical development. Over the years, however, Raff developed a more critical understanding of his own music and felt that these early works no longer met his growing expectations of himself. This realization led him to recompose his early piano compositions and publish them under the old titles and opus numbers with Breitkopf & Härtel. For Raff, the revision of his early works was not only a matter of artistic self-reflection but also a sign of his maturity as a composer. He wanted to ensure that his works reflected the evolution of his musical style and artistic expression. After completing the revisions, shortly before his death in 1882, Raff was grateful to be able to leave a polished compositional legacy, which he symbolized with the short "Deo gratias" (Thanks be to God) placed under the score of the Piano Sonata Op. 14.

In addition to the revisions of the early works, Breitkopf & Härtel also published the concertante for piano, choir and orchestra "Die Tageszeiten" op. 209 and the oratorio "Welt-Ende - Gericht - Neue Welt", op. 212. However, there was only limited trust in the composer. Although the publisher took over the printing costs, it charged them to the composer and paid them from the proceeds of the works. It can be assumed that Raff never made a financial profit from this deal with the Leipzig publishers.

Raff composed the first version of the Scherzo op. 3 in C minor during his time as a teacher in Rapperswil (CH) in 1842. The 5-minute piece, which is in ¾ time throughout, follows the established three-part form: A (Vivace, Presto sempre) - B (Trio) - A'. The frame sections (A) are characterized by a frequently used rhythmic element (two equal chords on the first two crotchets, followed by a pause on the last crotchet). The lyrical trio in A flat major already foreshadows the later melodic composer, although the movement is still somewhat monotonous and predictable. A brilliant cadenza, reminiscent of the beginning of the piece, leads back to the now shortened frame section. Remarkably, a moment of pause (Andante con gran espressione, D flat major) precedes the final bars, which are set in prestissimo and also reappear in Raff's later works.

Raff wrote the revised version of the Scherzo op. 3 in Frankfurt in 1881, retaining the title, key (C minor) and duration of the work, but creating a completely new composition which also has no thematic similarities with the older version. The whole piece has the character of a tarantella in an ostinato rhythm and is also formally divided into three parts: A (Allegro molto) - B (Trio: meno mosso) - A' (Tempo I). The harmonic ambitus of the work contains a few surprises and is incomparably larger than in the first version. In the trio, the right hand plays only the note g, oscillating at octave intervals, while the theme with its exciting harmonic colorations is reserved exclusively for the left hand. Without a cadenza, Raff leads the piano movement into a reprise of the frame section. However, while the beginning of the work is characterized by dark tones
in the lower register, the composer places the repeat in the highest registers of the instrument. In this later version, too, there is a moment of quiet pause and lyrical lingering shortly before the end (as in the first version in D flat major). However, this episode soon fades away and the rhythmic energy of the tarantella picks up speed again. At the end, the sombre atmosphere is abandoned and the piece turns to C major with a humorous twist that is characteristic of the composer.

Text by Volker Tosta (Edition Nordstern)