Werner Haas – pianist (b. 3 March 1931 – d. 11 October 1976)
was a German classical pianist known particularly for his interpretations of French repertoire, above all the music of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Born in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, on 3 March 1931, he showed an early affinity for music and an unusual intuition at the piano. As a child he improvised melodies and picked out tunes despite having received little formal instruction. Haas himself later played down the idea that he had been exceptionally gifted, attributing his early development more to persistent curiosity and interest in music.
His formative years were disrupted by the Second World War, which affected schooling and cultural life in Stuttgart and delayed his more systematic musical education. In 1944, at the age of 13, Haas won a local piano competition in Stettin. It was his only participation in a competition, as his reserved personality made the competitive environment unattractive to him. The victory nevertheless led to his first public performances, where his poise, technique and expressive phrasing attracted attention.
In 1947, Haas entered the Stuttgart Academy of Music at the age of 16, where he studied piano until 1954 with Lilli Kröber-Asche,...
Read 
