J. Raff Octet, 3rd movement (Swiss-Alps Festival 2026)

Joachim Raff: String Octet in C major, Op. 176 – III. Andante moderato Recorded live at the Temple de Château-d'Œx during the inaugural Swiss-Alps Festival 2026. Ensemble Violin I: Juan-José Peña Aguirre Violin II: Fabian Cáseres Violin III: Colin Soldati Violin IV: Guillaume Apvrille Viola I: Oleksandr Ahafonov Viola II: Ivan Udovychenko Cello I: Yun-Seo Song Cello II: Ulysse Bonneau Program Notes Composed in 1872, Joachim Raff’s String Octet in C major, Op. 176 stands alongside Mendelssohn’s Op. 20 as one of the definitive double-quartet masterworks of the Romantic era. About the Composer: Joachim Raff (1822–1882) Born in Lachen on Lake Zurich, Joseph Joachim Raff was one of the most prominent Swiss-German musical figures of the late 19th century. Initially largely self-taught, Raff's early scores earned the immediate admiration of Felix Mendelssohn and Franz Liszt. He later worked closely with Liszt in Weimar before establishing an independent career as a master orchestrator, symphonist, and chamber composer. By the 1870s, Raff was widely ranked alongside contemporaries like Johannes Brahms and Richard Wagner as one of the leading musical voices in Europe. Later serving as the founding director of the renowned Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, Raff championed progressive musical education, famously appointing Clara Schumann to the faculty and inaugurating advanced composition classes for women. While his expansive catalogue of over 400 works—spanning 11 programmatic symphonies, concertos, and masterly chamber literature—fell into obscurity during the early 20th century, Raff's music is today celebrated for its seamless bridge between Classical formal architecture and lush Romantic expression. Swiss-Alps Festival 2027 | Save the Date Founded in Château-d’Œx, the Swiss-Alps Festival provides a high-level platform for emerging international virtuosos to collaborate and present cornerstone chamber repertoire in the Swiss Alps. Join us for the upcoming edition: Dates: February 18–21, 2027 Venues: Temple de Château-d'Œx and Saanen Kirche (Vaud/Bern, Switzerland) Concerts: Noon & Evening Admission: ticket sale soon after program announcement Information & festival patronage: https://swissalpsfestival.ch Inquiries: contact@swissalpsfestival.ch #SwissAlpsFestival #JoachimRaff #StringOctet #ChamberMusic #ClassicalMusic #Violin #Viola #Cello #ChateaudOex #LiveConcert