(b. Lachen, Lake of Zurich, May 27, 1822 ; d. Frankfort, June 24/5, 1882), received his early education a t Wiesenstetten in Wiirtemberg, in the home of his parents, and then a t the Je suit Lyceum of Schwyz, where he carried off the first prizes in German, Latin and mathematics. Want of means compelled him to give up his classical studies and become a schoolmaster, but he stuck to music, and, though unable to afford a teacher, made such progress not only with the piano and the violin, but also in composition, th a t Mendelssohn, to whom he sent some MSS., gave him in 1843 a recommendation to Breitkopf & Hartel, who published his early pianoforte pieces. Amidst privations which would have daunted any one of less determination he worked steadily on, and a t length having fallen in with Liszt, was treated by him with the kindness which always marked his intercourse with rising or struggling talent, and was taken by him on a concert-tour. Meeting Mendelssohn for the first time a t Cologne in 1846, and being afterwards invited by him to become his pupil a t Leipzig, he left Liszt for th a t purpose. Before he could carry this project into effect, however, Mendelssohn died, and Raff remained a t Cologne, occupying himself inter alia in writing critiques for Dehn's Cacilia. Later, in 1854, he published Die Wagnerfrage, a pamphlet which excited considerable a tte n tion. Liszt's endeavours to secure him a patron in Vienna in the person of Mecchetti the publisher, were frustrated by Mecchetti's death while Raff was actually on tho way to see him. Undismayed by these repeated obstacles he devoted himself to a severe course of study, partly a t home and partly a t S tu ttgart, with the view to remedy the deficiencies of his early training. At S tu ttg a r t he made the acquaintance of Billow, who became deeply interested in him, and did him a great service by taking up his new Concertstiick, for PF. and orchestra, and playing it (Jan. 1, 1848). By degrees Raff attached himself more and more closely to tho new German school, and in 1850 went to Weimar to be near Liszt. Here he remodelled an opera, ' Konig Alfred,' which he had composed in Stu ttg a r t three years before, and it was produced a t the court theatre, where it was often performed. Other works followed-a string qua rte t in 1855, and the first sonata for PF. and violin (E minor) in 1857. In the meantime he had engaged himself to Doris Genast, daughter of the wellknown actor and manager, and herself on the stage ; and in 1856 he followed her to Wiesbaden, where he was soon in great request as a pianoforte teacher. In 1858 he composed the incidental music for Bernhard von Weimar, a drama by Wilhelm Genast, the overture ta RAG TIME which speedily became a favourite, and was much played throughout Germany. In 1859 he married. In 1863 his first symphony,1 * An das Vaterland,' obtained the prize offered by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. In 1870 his comic opera, ' Dame Kobold,' was produced a t Weimar. Other operas for which he himself wrote the libretti have not been performed in public. In 1877 he was appointed with much 6clat director of the Hoch Conservatorium a t Frankfort, a post he held until his death. Since his death his music has passed, alike in Germany and England, into an oblivion which cannot excite surprise in those who realise the inherent weaknesses of the composer; and the sudden change on the part of the public, from a widespread admiration to almost complete neglect, is of itself a severe criticism on his work. A detailed analysis of the first six of his symphonies appeared in the Monthly Musical Record for 1875, and a good idea may be gathered therefrom of Raff's style. A complete catalogue of Raff's works appeared in earlier editions of this Dictionary; the greater number of them are for pianoforte solo. The following are his more important compositions : Sonata* for vln. and PF, opp. 73 (E minor), 78 (A), 128 (D), 129 (G minor), * Chrom. Sonate In einem Satze,' 145 (C minor). P F. Trios, opp. 102. 112 (G minor), 155, 158 (D). String Quartets, opp. 77 (D minor), 90 (A), 136 (E minor), 137 (A minor), 138 (G). 192. No. 1 (C minor) ; No. 2 (D), * Die schone Mullerin ' ; No. 3 (C), ui canon-iorm. P F. Quartets, op. 202, Nos. 1 and 2. P F. Quintet, op. 107 (A minor). String Sextet, op. 178. String Octet, op. 176. P F. and orch., op. 76, ' Ode au prlntemps ' ; op. 185, Concerto (C minor) ; op. 200, Suite (E flat). Violin and orch., Suite, op. 180. Concertos for vln., opp. 161 (B minor), and 206 (A minor). Concerto for vcl., op. 193 (D minor). Suites and Overtures, op. 101, Suite ; op. 103, Jubilee Overture ; op. 117, Festival O ve r tu re ; op. 127, * Kin' feste Burg ' O v e r tu re ; op. 204, Suite (B flat). Symphonies, * An daa Vaterland,' op. 9 6 ; (C), op. 140; ' Im Walde,* op. 153 ; (G minor), op. 167 ; ' Lenore,' op. 177 ; * G elebt, gestrebt, gelitten, gestritten, gestorben, umworben ' (D minor), op. 189; ' In the Alps," (R flat), op. 201; * Friihlingskl& nge ' (A), op. 205; * Im Sommer ' (E minor), op. 208; ' Zur Herbstzeit,' op. 213 ; * Der Winter,' op. 214 (left unfinished, and revised by ErdmannsdorferK Sinfonietta for wind Instruments, op. 188. Voices and o rch., * Wachet auf,' op. 80 ; Psalm 130, ' D e profundis,' op. 141 ; ' Die Tageszeiten,' op. 209 ; * Weltende-Gericht- neue Welt,' oratorio, op. 212. Comic Opera, ' Dame Kobold,' op. 154. f . g ., rev. and abridged.