Clara Haskil

Clara Haskil , born with the January 7th 1895 with Bucharest and deceased the December 7th 1960 with Brussels was a Pianiste Suisse of Rumanian origin .

Exit of a Jewish Rumanian family (" Haskil" seem to come from a Hebraic root signifant " sage"), it shows as of the 3 years age an interest for the Piano: it already reproduces, with a finger, melodies which it heard! The mother of Clara, Berthe Haskil, pianist and musician amateur, gives him her first courses of piano and Clara reveals amazing gifts of ear and tact. Moreover its first name to even was given him in remembering an older sister that Berthe admired passionately, which died in twenty years whereas it carried out brilliant studies of piano to the Academy of Bucharest. She works also the violin and also shows a gift for this instrument. She has two sisters, Lili, her elder, which also plays of the piano, and Jane the junior who learns the Violon.

She is three years old when, in 1899, his/her father dies of the continuation of a contracted pneumonia one night of December, at the time of a fire which has occurred in the building where the family saw.

It is the mother of Clara which must provide for the needs for the family, firstly by giving piano lessons, of French, German, of Italian, of Greek (!!), then by opening a small workshop of seam to remain close to his/her children. But that is not enough and it is thanks to the assistance of one of his/her brothers, Isaac, that the family will survive. Actuary, he will become thereafter director of the Main road, one of the first Rumanian insurance companies. He will be thus able to help Haskil and will become little by little the household head.

Clara continues to develop its gifts, always with his/her mother. A friend of Haskil takes along the young girl in a professor of song of the Academy. He is amazed and asks to re-examine it several times. One day, he plays to him a sonatine of Mozart which she does not know. At once heard, Clara the cheek without fault, of a draft. Then the rejoue while transposing it… It is five years old… One decides to make him begin the courses with the Academy.

When Clara is seven years old, the family decides to send it to study the piano with Vienna. She only goes there with another of her uncles, the uncle Avram - a graduate, old doctor of thirty-five years, who does not practice any more. It dedicates a true passion for his small niece. Once in Vienna, Avram brings it near the famous pianist Anton Door. This one is if deafened that it sends a note to the daily newspaper Viennese Neue Freie Presse . It is not useless to quote it completely:
Professor Anton Door draws our attention to a little girl whose musical talent is completely exceptional. He writes to us: " These days presented itself at home a doctor coming from Romania and holding by the hand a seven year old little girl, girl of a widow. This child is a wonder: it received true musical teaching forever - but it is not necessary because all that one plays to him, in the possibilities of its small hands, it plays it in its turn of memory, without a fault and which more is in any tone. I presented a sonata, easy to him, of Beethoven: it deciphered it in a perfect way and without tear. One is there in front of a enigma: this maturity of a brain of child is truly angoissante."
Clara will study finally in professor Richard Robert (it will have inter alia as raises Rudolf Serkin), a very good pedagog who sees a sad child. It will organize even a small part to him where the child will be able to play. After one or two years, small Clara, then old from hardly 8 or 9 years, plays its first concerti of Mozart!

After three years in professor Robert, Avram decides to then take along Clara, ten years old, with Paris. She will not re-examine any more the professor. Once in the capital, it presents to the examinations of entry Conservatoire of Paris whose director of the time is Gabriel Fauré. It is presented at the same time for the piano and for the violin, it passes both. Besides she will study the violin parallel to the piano until the deforming Scoliose that one diagnoses to him in 1914 prevents it from continuing this instrument.

Later, it will study at Alfred Cortot, in 1907, but will not get along well with him. He does not like his way of playing. At that time the lessons are given in front of all the pupils. When Clara approaches the piano to play, Cortot returns it while saying: “We will hear you the next time! ”… Another time, it says to him: “You play like a cleaning lady! ”. Clara will remember it and, at the conclusion of a recital of Clara at the end of the years 1940, whereas Cortot finally recognized the talent of Haskil, he will say to him: “Dear friend it is admirable! ”. She will answer: “Then, I do not play any more like one cleaning lady? ”.

Gabriel Fauré, director of the Academy of Paris, as for him, takes Clara in affection. When she to him played one of her parts ( Thème and variations ) he says: “I did not know that there was as much music in than I had written! ”.

During all this period in Paris, Clara only lives with his/her uncle Avram. It is a silent being. Clara is always also sad and, at the time of holidays in Romania where the family of Clara remained, his/her mother sees it whether sad that it decides to take an apartment in Paris and there to come to live. For material reasons, it will not be able to take along Lili and Jane. Avram is also sick, which is a reason moreover to move. It will accept with against heart the decision of his sister but will remain in Bucharest and will enter the insurance company of his brother where it will remain until in 1911.

In 1910, Clara gains its first price of Academy. It starts to give concerts. In Vienna a Swiss business manager is interested in it and a round in Italy of north and Switzerland organizes to him.

Always at that time, Clara receives a proposal of Ferruccio Busoni (which intended it to play Zurich) to go to study at his place, with Berlin. His/her mother will refuse. A decision that Clara will regret all its life.

Before the war, one diagnoses a deforming Scoliose to him. It is sent to Berck, in the north of France, a vacation resort accommodating mainly patients reached of turberculose osseous. There it will live a made martyrdom of sufferings morals and acute physics - some of those could have been to him saved besides. It remains there until the end of the war, in 1918.

In 1917, the mother of Clara Haskil dies of a cancer. His/her uncle Avram is in a refugee camp (it was stopped, having taken Austrian nationality). Clara is thus found only… Whereas until now it was not particularly prone to the trac, this one will become terribly invading, paralyzing! Since this moment she will often refuse to play, pretexting that “that will not go… ”. Moreover, it was never satisfied with its performance.

After the First World War, it returns to Paris. Georges Enesco intervenes then with the Rumanian State to make sure that the young woman will be able to complete her musical studies there; in 1921, it makes it play Lausanne. In Paris, the pianist becomes acquainted with Mrs. Gélis-Didot and his Hilda daughter and a little later that of Mrs. Paul Desmarais. These women hold living room and are among the patrons most active of the Parisian musical world. It is besides Mrs. Desmarais who will propose in Clara to go to take again forces in Switzerland (accompanied by a nurse). In addition to the fact that it will find there Avram whose character largely darkened, it will meet people who will be very important for the recognition of her gifts in Switzerland.

Indeed, of 1920 with 1950 the Swiss public will be the only country has to recognize the genius of Clara and to ensure it of its fidelity.

An anecdote: at the time of its first concert with the Orchestre of the French-speaking Switzerland and its chief Ernest Ansermet, its trac is so paralyzing that she does not imagine to enter in scene… The concert is a success, Ansermet congratulates it still and still. Clara will spend the night to the hotel to be repeated with his/her partner of room: “Isn't this, it is furious Mr Ansermet? ”

This history illustrates rather well the capacity of self-destruction of the large pianist, carrying out it sometimes, because of the trac, of this bad regard of itself, to refuse or cancel concerts and which very largely explains the fact that its career had so much difficulty to take its essort. Sometimes he is written that Clara Haskil had a sober play, " in advance on its temps" and that for this reason it would have been rejected by the public of Paris. It in is nothing: criticisms of the time and the few recordings of years 1920-1930 left by the pianist quite to the contrary show to a pianist with the play very virtuoso, impassioned and of romantic gasoline.

Another element will be his/her uncle himself. Increasingly more possessive with his niece, he wants unceasingly to control it. When he diagnoses on him the first signs of the Parkinson's disease and that he will suffer from it more and more, he will reject all care which will not be lavished by Clara. For this reason also, the pianist will be brought to cancel concerts. She will never revolt, perhaps also because of this low esteem of itself… Because it is true that in spite of the assistance of its patrons his career tramples.

In 1924, Brussels the request, success touches with is delirious… It will not be re-enlisted before 1930… Two concerts in Vienna where it plays its war-horse at that time, work to which one does not identify it nowadays: the second concerto of Rachmaninov: immense success! They will be its only appearances in the city until in 1952…

Mrs. Gélis organizes a round in North America: triumph with New York! We quote here an extract of critic of the Musical Courrier of New York of November 13rd 1924 because the journalist touched exactly what makes and will make the musical singularity of the pianist:

“To say that Miss Haskil plays of all its heart can seem ridiculously sentimental; there is however no other nor of better expression. It seems to be with the research of the purely interior and increasingly major significance of the thoughts and the feelings found in the spirit even of the type-setter, through his music. Its play indicates immense and sympathetic nerve comprehension of the human impulses, of all passions, desires, joys and sadnesses, hopes and discouragements successive which inspired the composition of works that she interprets. To intend Miss Haskil to interpret Schumann, Chopin, Ravel, it is to touch of close with the revelation of the nature of these men, of the reasons which made them write - and which made them write as they did. It is not any more one simple concert, it is rather an intimate communion with the genius. ”

It will turn over in 1925 (still thanks to Mrs. Gélis), then fine 1926 - beginning 1927 (only), of which a concert with Stokowski: ovation, apotheosis, triumph! Stokowski recommends it to its agent. This last is ready to organize a round through the the United States. He asks Clara that it give 100 dollars (great sum at the time) for the expenses of publicity. As it does not have them, the agent answers him: “It would be to better have less talent but of the money”. The round will not be done… It will return to the United States only thirty years later.

For the Chamber music, its partners are from the start filled with enthusiasm of the dialog which is established with it, following the example Pablo Casals which adores to play in its company. In 1927 always, for the centenary of died of Beethoven the large violonist Eugene Ysaÿe chooses it to give in three concerts the ten sonatas for violins and piano of the Master.

The Gaveau house proposes to him to deal with all its career in the single condition which she plays only on the pianos of the mark. As she does not like these instruments, she refuses, in spite of the attempts at approaches reiterated of the French mark which, thus gotten rid of, will end up giving up.

At the same time, it meets the princess of Polignac, born Winnaretta Singer, one of the large last patrons private of the 20th century. The princess recognizes in it a large musician and decides to help it, not so much by her fortune (its avarice is legendary) that by placing at its disposal one of its pianos in its private mansion. Clara can thus come to work as far as she wishes it and little by little is found introduced into the musical evenings which the princess in her living rooms gives. The elite of artistic creation is found at " Aunt Winnie" (as call it accustomed), Clara meets a Stravinski as much there as a Poulenc, Rubinstein or Horowitz. But Clara, which is of a morbid timidity, will never benefit from these meetings… If it is not once, and it is there the birth of a deep friendship: one evening a young pianist with the immense talent is invited. He also is Rumanian: Dinu Lipatti . It is instantaneously a major dialog which settles between them: only the death of Lipatti in 1950 will stop it.

Some contracts arrive, some passages to the radio Frenchwoman,… an exploit also: one asks him to learn in one week the second concerto from Brahms. Indeed a week later she interprets it on line with the radio. One starts to realize of his talent. It a little is asked,… and the war arrives which very makes collapse. Moreover Clara is Jewish. Thanks to her Jeanne sister, who belongs to the National orchestra, it passes with the musicians in free zone.

There still, it is in a completely unhoped-for and unexpected way that it is collected in the manor of another protective arts, the countess Lili Pastré. It is Youra Guller, a comrade of the time of the academy, which of its own boss insisted near the countess so that this one the point of disjunction in its walls of Montredon in spite of the suroccupation of the field by exiled and the fugitive ones.

In 1942, its health is degraded. It has more and more sorrow to read, headaches always more violent one attack it quasi daily. After consultations, one diagnoses a tumor of the optical nerve. One makes come from Paris a disciple of the first large neurosurgeon who agrees not to be paid for his operation and only asks to be defrayed for the voyage and the documents for the free zone. The operation, which takes place in Marseilles, lasts nine hours under local anesthesia; throughout all intervention, in order to check that nothing of its brain is touched, Clara plays on the operating table the concerto " Jeunehomme" of Mozart, " its concerto" as it names it…

Its convalescence is fast and astonishing. To celebrate this " return to the vie" , one organizes a concert for it in the gardens of Montredon. She plays the concerto in minor D Kv 466 of Mozart. A report of Antoine Goléa evokes the absolute Beautiful daring to be opposed to the evil and the sufferings of the war. War which threatens it continuously. Once already it could be released from a raid organized by the French police force of Vichy. One presses it to pass to Switzerland. She refuses.

The same circle of friends and admirors, which in Switzerland was occupied to collect the money for its operation, business being maintained to obtain invaluable papers which will enable him to be accommodated in this country which, as of its beginnings, recognized it.

After an ultimate hesitation, almost on the quay of station, Clara only shows in the train for Switzerland at the beginning of November 1942. It arrives at Geneva 24 hours later. The customs officer checking his papers tells him " it is you Misses Haskil who make us so beautiful music… ". The circle of his/her friends leads it in the canton of Vaud. It will reside at it until its death. On a case-by-case basis it will obtain, in spite of the prohibition which is made to him leave the canton of Vaud, to be able to give some concerts in various cities of the French Suisse. These is the country which will provide him, by the fidelity of its public, the thin incomes which it will touch during these years.

As of the end of the war, the contracts start slowly but surely to arrive. Initially Switzerland. Clara Haskil now enjoying a total capacity of displacement in this country can play of Geneva to Zurich, of La Chaux-de-Fonds to Ascona. The England requires of him to record for BBC a series of sonatas of Scarlatti: success! In 1947, it records its first commercial disc for the firm Decca (still in 78 turns): the fourth concerto of Beethoven with Carlo Zecchi.

Clara Haskil being stateless person, it requires and obtains in 1949 Swiss nationality, which will enable him not to have any administrative problem more to play in certain countries.

At the same time it is the Holland which discovers it and which will not be wearied any more to invite it. With 55 years, its career " décolle" finally. For the first time of its life it can buy a piano of the mark Steinway.

The Germany wants it… Does Clara hesitate… how to forgive? … It will be one of the countries where it always will be ovationnée. France remains timid and will be the last of the nations of the Western Europe to recognize it. During the ten years to come, its diary will be overloaded concerts.

In 1956, it is chosen by the Philharmonic orchestra of Berlin and Herbert von Karajan for a European round paying homage to Mozart, which one commemorates the bicentenary of the birth. Then it is a round in the United States limited to Boston and New York: 4 concerts with Charles Münch and Paul Paray. Clara Haskil creates the event: " standing ovations". Here as everywhere one takes again the published formula before a few years for the first time in a newspaper Viennese. " Clara Haskil was sent on ground to play Mozart". A such comet, the pianist will have illuminated beauty the North-American sky and will not return any more: the fragile health of the artist makes fear to the impresarii Yankee; or more exactly, which makes them negative hesitant then, it is impossibility of gaining a maximum of money with it of making him give a maximum of concerts in little time, therefore by endangering its health.

Indeed " the Great lady of Musique" , as it now is named, must face the superhuman requirements of a career which frightens and exhausts young people than it. Between 1957 and 1958, it comes very close to death by twice and will be obliged to leave the musical life temporarily. It estimates " then; in sursis" but goes up on scene, takes again the meetings of recording of which some leave the sound engineers and the producers pantois: certain movements of works require only one catch, so much its play arrives to cordial perfection even in studio. Thus between 1956 and 1958, for the Philips firm, it records with the famous violonist Arthur GRUMIAUX the sonatas of Mozart for piano and violin K.301, K.304, K.376, K.378, K.454, and K.526, as well as the sonatas for piano and violin of Beethoven n° 1 to 10 (the integral); these recordings were republished out of CD by the Philips firm within the framework of the integral Arthur GRUMIAUX (PHCP-4901~4978).

All testimonys go in the same direction: there was an absolute contrast, if it is not a contradiction, between its appearance on scene and its play. Advancing with slow steps to the piano, it seemed a woman of an extreme brittleness, very old, uneven by the aggravation of its scoliosis during its life (the public retained its breath and wondered whether it would arrive at the piano); then, as soon as its fingers came into contact with the keyboard, the audience was immediately transported in a world very of poetry, energy and beauty. The weakening of its physical forces forced it to reduce the sound dynamics of its play which now opened out triple " ppp" with simple strong. It joined in that the sound means of a Chopin of which it was too rare and brilliant interpreter. While going to Brussels in 1960 to find Grumiaux there, it falls in the staircases of the station, and after to be transported hospital in private clinics it dies on December 7th, following an ultimate trepanation of which it will not awake. She is buried with the Cimetière of Montparnasse, with Paris, close to her two sisters.

Internal bonds

international Contest of piano Clara-Haskil

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