Joachim Raff's '2 Morceaux de Salon' Op. 81 are substantial pieces typical of his prolific output, blending Romantic lyricism with moments of dramatic intensity. They offer sophisticated piano writing with expressive melodic lines.
Develop a rich, resonant tone and ensure fluid transitions between lyrical and more declamatory sections.
2 Morceaux de Salon (Op.81) is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 6.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 5 — meaning you can already play level 4–5 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
A typical performance of 2 Morceaux de Salon (Op.81) lasts about 8 minutes.
2 Morceaux de Salon (Op.81) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.