Composer

:

Joachim Raff

Genre

:

Chamber

Compose Date

:

1854

Average_duration

:

15:45

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

Joachim Raff's 'Fantasy Pieces (2) for cello & piano, Op. 86' is a two-movement work composed in 1871. The piece was premiered in the same year in Frankfurt, Germany. The first movement, marked "Allegro con moto," is in sonata form and begins with a lively cello melody accompanied by a flowing piano accompaniment. The second theme is more lyrical and is introduced by the piano. The development section features a dialogue between the cello and piano, with both instruments taking turns playing the main theme. The recapitulation brings back the main themes, with the cello taking the lead in the final section. The second movement, marked "Andante con moto," is a lyrical and expressive piece in ABA form. The cello introduces the main theme, which is then taken up by the piano. The middle section features a more agitated theme, which is developed by both instruments. The return of the main theme is marked by a change in key and a more elaborate piano accompaniment. The cello plays a virtuosic cadenza before the final return of the main theme, which is played in a more subdued manner. Overall, Raff's 'Fantasy Pieces' is a charming and expressive work that showcases the cello's lyrical qualities and the piano's ability to provide a rich and varied accompaniment. The piece is characterized by its melodic inventiveness, rhythmic vitality, and harmonic richness. Raff's use of sonata form in the first movement and ABA form in the second movement demonstrates his mastery of classical forms, while his use of virtuosic passages and expressive melodies shows his Romantic sensibility.

More....