Joachim Raff - String Quartet No. 7 in D Major "The Maid of The Mill" Op. 192 No. 2 (1876)

String Quartet No. 7 by Joachim Raff. Performed by Quartetto Di Milano.

I. Der Jungling - Allegretto - 00:00
II. Die Muhle - Allegro - 7:50
III. Die Mullerin - Andante Quasi Allegretto - 10:13
IV. Unruhe - Allegro - 18:29
V. Erklarung - Andantino - Quasi Allegretto - 20:43
VI. Zum Polterabend - Vivace - 23:36

Raff's seventh string quartet, subtitled The Maid of the Mill after Schubert's famous song cycle Die Schöne Müllerin, was one of the most performed string quartets on concert programs between 1876 and 1914.

His String Quartet No.7 dates from 1876, and was an immediate success from its premier. It is a programmatic work which tells the same story as Schubert's song cycle by the same name. A young man passes by a mill and sees a beautiful girl, the maid of the mill. For him, it is love at first sight. Finally he proposes and she accepts. In six movements, the opening Allegro presents the young fellow as he travels along. The second movement, subtitled the The Mill, also is an Allegro. At one time, this was one of the most famous movements in the entire string quartet literature and was frequently played by itself as an encore. The third movement, a lovely Andante quasi Adagietto, portrays the Maid of the Mill. Then comes Unrest, an Allegro, which portrays the young man struggling to get up the courage to propose. The fifth movement, Andantino quasi Allegretto, also was quite famous and used as an encore for more than half a century. Entitled The Proposal, it is a highly romantic lovers' duet between the cello and first violin. The finale, Wedding Eve Feast (Zum Polterabend) is the traditional celebration in German lands which takes place the night before the wedding. At the feast, old crockery was smashed to bring luck to the happy couple.

The famous chamber music critic Wilhelm Altmann, writing in his Handbook for String Quartet Players in 1936 called this quartet:

"A well-loved work from an accomplished master"

Category:

Music

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• Joachim
• Raff
• String
• Quartet
• No
• 7
• in
• D
• Major
• The
• Maid
• of
• The
• Mill
• Op
• 192
• No
• 2

[MasterAzunai]

Drop dead gorgeous. A masterful and perfect quartet.

[GoldieG89]

@MasterAzunai I agree 100%. I recommend his chamber music masterpiece the Piano Quintet, countless of memorable melodies and perfect in every way. The 3rd movement is unforgettable.

[DoubleAviolin]

I think it is worth pointing out that the story in Schubert's cycle is quite different: the young miller does not get the girl though he thinks so at first. The hunter takes her away from him and he has to travel on. This allows for may more emotions--such as desperation and jealousy--than the straightforward and somewhat silly program of this quartet. That said the music is great except for the final movement which is too long and too noisy (Polterabends are often both of these things, still

[rkentburke]

This is some of the greatest chamber music I have ever heard. Every bit the rival of Brahms or Mendelssohn. Listen to the Quintet, op. 107 as well. AMAZING.