Album

Could a French woman make an international career for herself as a pianist after the Second World War by playing most of Debussy and Ravel, lots of Mozart and Haydn, and even some of Hindemith and Stravinsky, but no Beethoven or Brahms, no Liszt and next to no Chopin, no Schubert and only a smattering of Schumann? Apparently Monique Haas could because she made a flourishing career after the War by embracing the French moderns and the Viennese classics but virtually avoiding the German romantics. It made a certain sense. Haas was the quintessence of French piano playing—her tone was clear, her technique was lucid, her colors were luminous and her pedal was light—and thus the ideal Debussy—Ravel player, and therefore, by French logic, the ideal Mozart and Haydn player. In this lavishly filled 9 disc set of her recordings for Deutsche Grammophon made between 1949 and 1963, the best of Haas has been re-issued together on CD for the first time. Every disc contains treasures—the first's elegant Mozart Concerto, the second's brilliant Haydn Sonatas, the third's glittering Schumann Fantasiestücke, the fourth's glimmering Debussy Préludes, the fifth's chastely sensuous Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales, the sixth's raptly radiant Bartók Third Concerto, the seventh's superbly controlled but incredibly exciting Ravel Concertos—but the eighth and final disc with its two works by Haas' husband-composer Marcel Mihalovici is perhaps the most illuminating of them all. Where there was no question as to the artistic merits of Debussy's Préludes, the merits of the nearly unknown Mikalovici's Ricercari and Second Violin Sonata might have been questioned had not Haas' completely committed and deeply affectionate performances made them seem as significant as the works of, say, Roussel or Honegger. Many of the recordings are in mono and the rest are early stereo, but DG's sound is consistently as clean, direct and honest as the best of their later stereo recordings.



© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 8
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Piano Concerto No.14 in Eb, K.449 Work Recorded 1957 22:07 Monique Haas Piano, Ferdinand Leitner Conductor, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
1	1.Allegro vivace	8:54			$1.49
2	2.Andantino	6:52			$0.99
3	3.Allegro ma non troppo	6:21			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Sonata in Bb for Piano 4-hands, K.358 Work Recorded 1957 12:31 Monique Haas Piano, Heinz Schröter Piano
4	1.Allegro	3:58			$0.99
5	2.Adagio	4:38			$0.99
6	3.Molto presto	3:55			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Sonata in D for Piano 4-hands, K.381 Work Recorded 1957 10:19 Monique Haas Piano, Heinz Schröter Piano
7	1.Allegro	3:25			$0.99
8	2.Andante	4:06			$0.99
9	3.Allegro molto	2:48			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Sonata in D for 2 Pianos, K.448 Work Recorded 1955 20:23 Monique Haas Piano, Heinz Schröter Piano
10	1.Allegro con spirito	7:45			$1.49
11	2.Andante	6:40			$0.99
12	3.Allegro molto	5:58			$0.99
CD 2 of 8
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Piano Concerto No.23 in A, K.488 Work Recorded 1953 25:03 Monique Haas Piano, Ferdinand Leitner Conductor, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
1	1.Allegro	10:43			$1.99
2	2.Adagio	6:33			$0.99
3	3.Allegro assai	7:47			$1.49
(Franz) Joseph Haydn Composer Keyboard Sonata in F, Hob.XVI:23 Work Recorded 1959 14:33 Monique Haas Piano
4	1.Allegro moderato	4:51			$0.99
5	2.Adagio	5:35			$0.99
6	3.Finale: Presto	4:07			$0.99
(Franz) Joseph Haydn Composer 12 Variations in Eb, Hob.XVII:3 Work Recorded 1959 Monique Haas Piano
7	12 Variations in Eb, Hob.XVII:3	9:04			$1.49
(Franz) Joseph Haydn Composer Keyboard Sonata in Eb, Hob.XVI:52 (No.62) Work Recorded 1959 19:59 Monique Haas Piano
8	1.Allegro moderato	8:09			$1.49
9	2.Adagio	6:07			$0.99
10	3.Finale: Presto	5:43			$0.99
(Franz) Joseph Haydn Composer Fantasia (Capriccio) in C, Hob.XVII:4 Work Recorded 1959 Monique Haas Piano
11	Fantasia (Capriccio) in C, Hob.XVII:4	5:49			$0.99
CD 3 of 8
Robert Alexander Schumann Composer Piano Concerto in A-, Op.54 Work Recorded 1951 30:09 Monique Haas Piano, Eugen Jochum Conductor, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
1	1.Allegro affettuoso. Andante espressivo. Allegro	14:48			$2.49
2	2.Intermezzo: Andante grazioso	4:55			$0.99
3	3.Allegro vivace	10:26			$1.99
Robert Alexander Schumann Composer Fantasiestücke, Op.12 Work Recorded 1955 28:33 Monique Haas Piano
4	1.Des Abends: Sehr innig zu spielen	4:15			$0.99
5	2.Aufschwung: Sehr rasch	3:16			$0.99
6	3.Warum?: Langsam und zart	3:23			$0.99
7	4.Grillen: Mit Humor	3:01			$0.99
8	5.In der Nacht: Mit Leidenschaft	4:36			$0.99
9	6.Fabel: Langsam. Schnell	2:49			$0.99
10	7.Traumes Wirren: Äußerst lebhaft	2:39			$0.99
11	8.Ende vom Lied: Mit gutem Humor (Epilogue)	4:34			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 12 Etudes, Op.10 Work Recorded 1959 5:55 Monique Haas Piano
12	No.5: Vivace in Gb ('Black Keys')	1:54			$0.49
13	No.3: Lento ma non troppo in E ('Tristesse')	4:01			$0.99
CD 4 of 8
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Préludes, Book 1, L.117 Work Recorded 1962 39:31 Monique Haas Piano
1	1.Danseuses de delphes	3:22			$0.99
2	2.Voiles	3:10			$0.99
3	3.Le vent dans la plaine	2:14			$0.99
4	4.Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir	3:31			$0.99
5	5.Les collines d'Anacapri	3:09			$0.99
6	6.Des pas sur la neige	3:59			$0.99
7	7.Ce qu'à vu le vent d'ouest	3:13			$0.99
8	8.La fille aux cheveux de lin	2:46			$0.99
9	9.La sérénade interrompue	2:28			$0.99
10	10.La cathédrale engloutie	6:38			$0.99
11	11.La danse de Puck	2:51			$0.99
12	12.Minstrels	2:10			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Préludes, Book 2, L.123 Work Recorded 1963 37:27 Monique Haas Piano
13	1.Brouillards	2:56			$0.99
14	2.Feuilles mortes	3:26			$0.99
15	3.La puerta del vino	2:54			$0.99
16	4.Les fées sont d'exquises danseuses	3:05			$0.99
17	5.Bruyères	2:56			$0.99
18	6.General Lavine	2:25			$0.99
19	7.La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune	4:15			$0.99
20	8.Ondine	3:11			$0.99
21	9.Hommage à S. Pickwick	2:29			$0.99
22	10.Canope	3:09			$0.99
23	11.Les tierces alternées	2:30			$0.99
24	12.Feux d'artifice	4:11			$0.99
CD 5 of 8
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Études, L.136...Book 1 Work Recorded 1951 19:35 Monique Haas Piano
1	1.Pour les cinq doigts, d'apres Monsieur Czerny	2:41			$0.99
2	2.Pour les tierces	3:17			$0.99
3	3.Pour les quartes	5:14			$0.99
4	4.Pour les sixtes	4:08			$0.99
5	5.Pour les octaves	2:38			$0.99
6	6.Pour les huit doigts	1:37			$0.49
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Études, L.136...Book 2 Work Recorded 1951 22:59 Monique Haas Piano
7	7.Pour les degrés chromatiques	2:15			$0.99
8	8.Pour les agréments	4:31			$0.99
9	9.Pour les notes répétées	2:56			$0.99
10	10.Pour les sonorités opposées	5:33			$0.99
11	11.Pour les arpéges composés	3:46			$0.99
12	12.Pour les accords	3:58			$0.99
Maurice Ravel Composer 8 Valses nobles et sentimentales Work Recorded 1955 14:26 Monique Haas Piano
13	1.Modéré	1:21			$0.49
14	2.Assez lent	2:14			$0.99
15	3.Modéré	1:15			$0.49
16	4.Anime	1:07			$0.49
17	5.Presque lent	1:18			$0.49
18	6.Assez vif	0:44			$0.49
19	7.Moins vif	2:35			$0.99
20	8.Epilogue: Lent	3:52			$0.99
Maurice Ravel Composer Le tombeau de Couperin Work Recorded 1955 21:34 Monique Haas Piano
21	1.Prélude	2:58			$0.99
22	2.Fugue	3:17			$0.99
23	3.Forlane	4:49			$0.99
24	4.Rigaudon	2:33			$0.99
25	5.Menuet	3:59			$0.99
26	6.Toccata	3:58			$0.99
CD 6 of 8
Igor Stravinsky Composer Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra Work Recorded 1950 17:28 Monique Haas Piano, Ferenc Fricsay Conductor, RIAS-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin Orchestra
1	1.Presto	6:58			$0.99
2	2.Andantino rapsodico	4:59			$0.99
3	3.Allegro capriccioso ma tempo giusto	5:31			$0.99
Maurice Ravel Composer Piano Concerto in G Work Recorded 1948 20:28 Monique Haas Piano, Sinfonieorchester des Norddeutschen Rundfunks Orchestra, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt Conductor
4	1.Allegramente	7:42			$1.49
5	2.Adagio assai	8:44			$1.49
6	3.Presto	4:02			$0.99
Béla Bartók Composer Piano Concerto No.3 in E, BB127, Sz.119 (completed by Tibor Serly) Work Recorded 1954 22:26 Monique Haas Piano, Ferenc Fricsay Conductor, RIAS-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin Orchestra
7	1.Allegretto	6:34			$0.99
8	2.Adagio religioso	9:07			$1.49
9	3.Allegro vivace	6:45			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Pour le piano, L.95 Work Recorded 1949 Monique Haas Piano
10	3.Toccata	3:56			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Préludes, Book 1, L.117 Work Recorded 1949 Monique Haas Piano
11	8.La fille aux cheveux de lin	2:58			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Études, L.136...Book 1 Work Recorded 1949 Monique Haas Piano
12	6.Pour les huit doigts	1:27			$0.49
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Préludes, Book 2, L.123 Work Recorded 1949 Monique Haas Piano
13	12.Feux d'artifice	3:55			$0.99
CD 7 of 8
Maurice Ravel Composer Piano Concerto in G Work Recorded 1965 20:35 Monique Haas Piano, Paul Paray Conductor, Orchestre National de la RTF, Paris Orchestra
1	1.Allegramente	7:45			$1.49
2	2.Adagio assai	8:46			$1.49
3	3.Presto	4:04			$0.99
Maurice Ravel Composer Piano Concerto for the Left Hand Work Recorded 1965 Monique Haas Piano, Paul Paray Conductor, Orchestre National de la RTF, Paris Orchestra
4	Piano Concerto for the Left Hand	17:43			$2.99
Maurice Ravel Composer Sonatine in F#- Work Recorded 1955 11:02 Monique Haas Piano
5	1.Modéré	4:09			$0.99
6	2.Mouvement de Menuet	2:57			$0.99
7	3.Animé	3:56			$0.99
Paul Hindemith Composer Konzertmusik for piano, 10 brass instruments, and 2 harps, Op.49 Work Recorded 1957 24:17 Monique Haas Piano, Paul Hindemith Conductor, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
8	1.Ruhig gehende Viertel	5:12			$0.99
9	2.Lebhaft	5:17			$0.99
10	3.Sehr ruhig. Variationen	6:49			$0.99
11	4.Mässig schnell, kraftvoll	6:59			$0.99
CD 8 of 8
Marcel Mihalovici Composer Ricercari, Op.46 Work Recorded 1951 22:17 Monique Haas Piano
1	1.Poco lento (Tempo di passacaglia)	3:56			$0.99
2	2.Un poco più mosso	1:08			$0.49
3	3.Andante, non troppo	1:14			$0.49
4	4.Allegro ben ritmato	1:14			$0.49
5	5.Allegro giusto	0:53			$0.49
6	6.Lento sostenuto	1:38			$0.49
7	7.Leggiero, con moto	2:15			$0.99
8	8.Andantino	1:52			$0.49
9	9.Allegretto capriccioso, ma molto ritmato	1:11			$0.49
10	10.Molto vivace	2:04			$0.99
11	11.Grave, più tosto moderato	4:52			$0.99
Albert Roussel Composer 3 Pieces, Op.49 Work Recorded 1949 7:33 Monique Haas Piano
12	1.Allegro con brio	1:21			$0.49
13	2.Allegro grazioso: Tempo di valse	1:35			$0.49
14	3.Allegro con spirito	4:37			$0.99
Béla Bartók Composer Sonatina (on Romanian folk tunes), BB69, Sz.55 Work Recorded 1949 3:44 Monique Haas Piano
15	1.Bagpipe Players	1:24			$0.49
16	2.Dance of the Bear	0:41			$0.49
17	3.Finale: Allegro vivace	1:39			$0.49
Maurice Ravel Composer Violin Sonata No.2 in G Work Recorded 1958 18:32 Monique Haas Piano, Max Rostal Violin
18	1.Allegretto	8:58			$1.49
19	2.Blues: Moderato	5:52			$0.99
20	3.Perpetuum mobile: Allegro	3:42			$0.99
Marcel Mihalovici Composer Violin Sonata No.2, Op.45 Work Recorded 1958 25:40 Monique Haas Piano, Max Rostal Violin
21	1.Allegro molto appassionato	7:50			$1.49
22	2.Larghetto cantabile	10:11			$1.99
23	3.Molto vivace	7:39			$1.49