After 1860, a clear division began to emerge among German composers. They wrote absolute music and belonged to the camp of Brahms, or program music and were then assigned to the Neu-Deutsche Schule of Liszt. Joachim Raff (1822-1882) was one of the few who tried to avoid this dichotomy and his "Symphony No. 5, op.177 'Lenore'" clearly shows how he tried to make some sort of symphonic compromise .
The work has the traditional four-part form, but Raff has given it a programmatic interpretation, namely Bürger's ballad 'Lenore'. The poem tells about the couple Wilhelm and Lenore. They are portrayed in the first and second part respectively. Wilhelm has to go to war with the army. This is depicted in the martial Scherzo, the Trio of which depicts the farewell. As long as Wilhelm doesn't return, Lenore impatiently curses him. Then he appears to her at night. He takes her on a wild ride and turns out to be a ghost and he plunges Lenore into a grave. This section is the content of the finale. Raff was a prolific writer, but this symphony is rightly regarded as one of his best works and this performance by the Philharmonia Orchestra with Yondani Butt is therefore a great pleasure. (JvG) _ Raff was a prolific writer, but this symphony is rightly regarded as one of his best works and this performance by the Philharmonia Orchestra with Yondani Butt is therefore a great pleasure. (JvG) _ Raff was a prolific writer, but this symphony is rightly regarded as one of his best works and this performance by the Philharmonia Orchestra with Yondani Butt is therefore a great pleasure. (JvG) _more
