READER CHOICE

David Bugbee Cheyenne, WY, US

I have recently been listening to my BR Klassik album of Joachim

Raff ’s symphonies conducted by Hans Stadlmair. Raff stuck to familiar paths, with music reminiscent of Mendelssohn, Schumann, Beethoven, and Dvo ák. He was not an innovator

– he didn’t need to be. The set of all his symphonies plus a number of his other orchestral works, is a delight for the ear, one beautiful piece after another. These are not trite, ‘elevator music’ pieces either, but wonderful works that never should have dropped off the radar.