Werner Haas

Composers

Biography

Born: 1931; Stuttgart, Germany   Died: October 11, 1976; Nancy, France  
Werner Haas was a German pianist especially known for his interpretations of French repertory, particularly the works of Debussy and Ravel. But his performances of music by Chopin and Beethoven were also highly praised and his repertory was quite broad, extending to Prokofiev and Kabalevsky. He was better known in Europe than in the Americas, where he never concertized. His many admirers assert that had his life not been tragically cut short, he Read more would likely have achieved recognition as one of the finest pianists of his time.

Haas was born in Stuttgart on March 3, 1931. He exhibited unusual talent as a young child, though the pianist himself was reluctant to claim he was extraordinarily gifted. Still, he might have developed even sooner but for the exigencies brought on by the war in his homeland. He enrolled at the Stuttgart Academy of Music in 1947, where he took instruction on piano from Lilli Kröber-Asche, who was known for her Mozart interpretations. Shortly after leaving the Stuttgart Academy in 1954, he traveled to Saarbrücken for two years of study with Walter Gieseking, whose interest in the music of Debussy may well have steered Haas toward the French master's works. It was during this time that he launched his career with a critically well-received recital (1955) in his native Stuttgart. From 1956 on, Haas toured Europe and quickly developed a reputation for his Debussy interpretations. Following a 1958 Paris concert, Philips executive Igor Maslowski signed the pianist to a multi-year contract with his Dutch label. The partnership worked well for both, as evidenced by Haas' numerous discographic successes, including his Debussy complete works edition, which was awarded a Grand Prix du Disque in 1970, and his Ravel recordings, which given an Amsterdam Edison Prize also in 1970.

Though Haas began recording in the late '50s, most of his activity in the studio dates to the 1960s. His 1960 recording of Chopin Waltzes (14) garnered much critical acclaim, even in the United States where it received a rave review in the January 1961 issue of High Fidelity. On tour abroad, he generally drew favorable reviews as well, such as his November 1967 London recital at Wigmore Hall and his July 1970 Milan concert, to name but two. Haas was known to have a broad repertory, but beginning in the latter 1960s, he expanded it to include an even greater range, with works like Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 4. Later, he added that master's Sonata No. 2 to his repertory, as well as compositions by other Russian composers, including Kabalevsky and Stravinsky. By the mid-'70s, Haas' career was in full bloom, with appearances in some of the most prestigious concert halls in Europe and turning out recordings that routinely garnered critical acclaim. Like the American pianist William Kapell, however, his career ended abruptly and tragically: Haas was killed on October 11, 1976, in a accident near Nancy, France, when his automobile collided with a truck. Many of the pianist's recordings are still available via reissue, most on the Philips label. Read less

Featured Werner Haas CDs & DVDs:

Gershwin: Concerto In F, Etc / Haas, Et Al
Gershwin: Concerto In F, Etc / Haas, Et Al
Release Date: 03/27/2001   Label: Philips  
Catalog: 468136   Number of Discs: 1
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Browse 1-18 of 18 Available Recordings
  • 1.
    Mozart: Piano Concertos / Haas, Munchinger, Et Al
    Mozart: Piano Concertos / Haas, Munchinger, Et Al
    Label: Md&g (Dabringhaus & Grimm)   Catalog: 6421479 Release Date: 01/08/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer:  Werner Haas
    Conductor:  Karl Münchinger
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
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  • 2.
    Gershwin: Porgy And Bess Suite, Cuban Overture, Etc
    Gershwin: Porgy And Bess Suite, Cuban Overture, Etc
    Label: Philips Silverline Classics   Catalog: 432511 Release Date: 08/06/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  George Gershwin
    Performer:  Werner Haas
    Conductor:  Edo De Waart,  Eliahu Inbal
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra
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  • 3.
    Piano Greatest Hits
    Piano Greatest Hits
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 000278002 Release Date: 07/13/2004   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johann Sebastian Bach,  George Gershwin,  Sergei Rachmaninov,  Maurice Ravel  ... 
    Performer:  András Schiff,  Wilhelm Kempff,  Werner Haas,  Jean-Yves Thibaudet  ... 
    Conductor:  András Schiff,  Vladimir Ashkenazy,  Uri Segal
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Chamber Orchestra of Europe,  Cleveland Orchestra,  English Chamber Orchestra
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  • 4.
    Masters Of The Keyboard / Argerich, Arrau, Richter, Et Al
    Masters Of The Keyboard / Argerich, Arrau, Richter, Et Al
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 000193202 Release Date: 02/10/2004   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Arnold Schoenberg,  George Gershwin,  Béla Bartók  ... 
    Performer:  Emil Gilels,  Mitsuko Uchida,  Werner Haas,  Zoltán Kocsis  ... 
    Conductor:  Edo De Waart
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra
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  • 5.
    Super Audio Cd Sampler - Rqr
    Super Audio Cd Sampler - Rqr
    Label: Pentatone   Catalog: 5186044 Release Date: 11/25/2003   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Antonio Vivaldi,  Gioachino Rossini,  Sergei Rachmaninov,  Robert Schumann  ... 
    Performer:  Severino Gazzelloni,  Werner Haas,  Daniel Chorzempa,  Nicolai Gedda  ... 
    Conductor:  Sir Neville Marriner,  Eliahu Inbal,  Edo De Waart,  Josef Krips  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  I Musici,  Academy of St. Martin in the Fields,  Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra  ... 
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  • 6.
    Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 2, Etc / Haas, Inbal, Et Al
    Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 2, Etc / Haas, Inbal, Et Al
    Label: Pentatone   Catalog: 5186114 Release Date: 05/27/2003   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Sergei Rachmaninov
    Performer:  Werner Haas
    Conductor:  Eliahu Inbal
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
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  • 7.
    Essential Gershwin - 20 Of His Greatest Masterpieces
    Essential Gershwin - 20 Of His Greatest Masterpieces
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 472780 Release Date: 02/11/2003   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  George Gershwin
    Performer:  Barbara Hendricks,  Marielle Labčque,  Katia Labčque,  Patti Austin  ... 
    Conductor:  John Mauceri,  Arthur Fiedler,  Bernard Herrmann,  Riccardo Chailly  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra,  Boston Pops,  London Festival Orchestra Ensemble  ... 
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  • 8.
    The #1 Piano Album
    The #1 Piano Album
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 472589 Release Date: 11/12/2002   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Dmitri Shostakovich,  George Gershwin,  Sergei Prokofiev,  Béla Bartók  ... 
    Performer:  Olli Mustonen,  Werner Haas,  Martha Argerich,  Zoltán Kocsis  ... 
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  • 9.
    Romantic Piano Adagios
    Romantic Piano Adagios
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 470777 Release Date: 06/11/2002   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Gabriel Fauré,  Franz Schubert,  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,  Johann Sebastian Bach  ... 
    Performer:  Pascal Rogé,  András Schiff,  Alfred Brendel,  Werner Haas  ... 
    Conductor:  Sir Neville Marriner,  András Schiff,  Alceo Galliera,  Lorin Maazel  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Academy of St. Martin in the Fields,  Chamber Orchestra of Europe,  Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra  ... 
    CD: $16.99
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  • 10.
    Archive - Hommage Ŕ Werner Haas - Beethoven, Chopin, Et Al
    Archive - Hommage Ŕ Werner Haas - Beethoven, Chopin, Et Al
    Label: Md&g (Dabringhaus & Grimm)   Catalog: 6421086 Release Date: 10/23/2001   Number of Discs: 6
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin,  Alexander Scriabin,  Igor Stravinsky,  Dmitri Kabalevsky  ... 
    Performer:  Werner Haas
    CD: $49.99
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  • 11.
    Gershwin: Concerto In F, Etc / Haas, Et Al
    Gershwin: Concerto In F, Etc / Haas, Et Al
    Label: Philips   Catalog: 468136 Release Date: 03/27/2001   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  George Gershwin
    Performer:  Werner Haas
    Conductor:  Edo De Waart,  Eliahu Inbal
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra
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  • 12.
    Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue, Etc / Bernstein
    Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue, Etc / Bernstein
    Label: Dg Panorama   Catalog: 469139 Release Date: 09/26/2000   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  George Gershwin
    Performer:  Gil Shaham,  André Previn,  David Finck,  Werner Haas  ... 
    Conductor:  James Levine,  Eliahu Inbal,  Edo De Waart,  André Previn  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Chicago Symphony Orchestra,  Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra,  Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra  ... 
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  • 13.
    Brahms For Book Lovers
    Brahms For Book Lovers
    Label: Philips   Catalog: 462561 Release Date: 06/09/1998   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms
    Performer:  Arthur Grumiaux,  György Sebok,  George Pieterson,  Werner Haas  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Beaux Arts Trio members,  Quartetto Italiano,  Berlin Philharmonic Octet members  ... 
    CD: $6.99
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  • 14.
    Brahms: Complete Quintets / Berlin Philharmonic Octet, Haas
    Brahms: Complete Quintets / Berlin Philharmonic Octet, Haas
    Label: Philips Duo   Catalog: 446172 Release Date: 06/13/1995   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms
    Performer:  Werner Haas,  Herbert Stähr
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Berlin Philharmonic Octet members
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  • 15.
    The Best Of Mendelssohn
    The Best Of Mendelssohn
    Label: Philips Duo   Catalog: 442302 Release Date: 05/10/1994   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer:  Werner Haas,  Salvatore Accardo
    Conductor:  Sir Colin Davis,  Charles Dutoit,  Wolfgang Sawallisch
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Boston Symphony Orchestra,  London Philharmonic Orchestra,  BBC Symphony Orchestra  ... 
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  • 16.
    Debussy: Complete Piano Music Vol 1 / Werner Haas
    Debussy: Complete Piano Music Vol 1 / Werner Haas
    Label: Philips Duo   Catalog: 438718 Release Date: 01/18/1994   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Claude Debussy
    Performer:  Werner Haas
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  • 17.
    Debussy: Complete Piano Music Vol 2 / Werner Haas, Noël Lee
    Debussy: Complete Piano Music Vol 2 / Werner Haas, Noël Lee
    Label: Philips Duo   Catalog: 438721 Release Date: 01/18/1994   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Claude Debussy
    Performer:  Werner Haas,  Noel Lee
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  • 18.
    Tchaikovsky: Complete Works For Piano & Orchestra / Haas
    Tchaikovsky: Complete Works For Piano & Orchestra / Haas
    Label: Philips Duo   Catalog: 438329 Release Date: 10/12/1993   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
    Performer:  Werner Haas
    Conductor:  Eliahu Inbal
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra
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