Joachim Raff, Liszt’s amanuensis and confidante in Weimar, was one of Germany’s leading composers, a reputation based largely on his symphonic works. But he was prolific in other forms as well, excelling in chamber and vocal music, and especially in numerous and varied compositions for the piano.

The three works on this second volume of Raff’s piano works come from the very pinnacle of his career. The 1871 Fantasie Sonata is a fascinating and richly imaginative hybrid, whilst the Variations on an Original Theme is marked by fertility of invention. The Four Piano Pieces exemplifies Raff’s gift for lyricism and characterisation.

British-Vietnamese pianist Tra Nguyen gave her first performance at the Hanoi Opera House when she was ten and has continued to engage audiences in other important venues worldwide. She studied with Lev Naumov at the Moscow Conservatory and with Christopher Elton at the Royal Academy of Music, London.