Haas, Joseph
Haas, Joseph
Haas, Joseph, eminent German composer and pedagogue; b. Maihingen, March 19, 1879; d. Munich, March 30, 1960. He was a pupil of Reger (composition) in Munich and Leipzig (1904–08), and also in the latter city of Straube (organ) and Ruthardt (piano). In 1911 he became a teacher and in 1916 a prof. of composition at the Stuttgart Cons. In 1921 he settled in Munich as a prof. in the Catholic church music dept. of the Akademie der Tonkunst, and later was president of the Hochschule für Musik (1946–50). In 1949 a Joseph Haas Soc. was formed to promote his music, which is written in a well-crafted and accessible style. He publ. a biography of Reger (Bonn, 1949), and a collection of his speeches and articles was ed. by K. Fellerer as Reden und Aufsätze (Mainz, 1964).
Works
dramatic:Die Bergkönigin, theater piece (1927); Tobias Wunderlich, opera (1934-37; Kassel, Nov. 24, 1937); Die Hochzeit des Jobs, comic opera (1940-43; Dresden, July 2, 1944). orch.: Das Grab im Busento (1902); Ein symphonisches Idyll (1903); Felice notte (1903); Symphonische suite (1913); Heitere Serenade (1913–14); Variationen und Rondo über ein altdeutsches Volkslied (1916–17); Variationen-Suite (1924; Cologne, March 3, 1925); Lyrisches Intermezzo (1937); Ouvertüre zu einem frohen Spiel (1943; Munich, Sept. 27, 1946); Der Tod auf dem Apfelbaum (1945). CHAMBER: 2 violin sonatinas (both 1905); 2 string quartets (1905, 1919); Violin Sonata (1908); Divertimento for Violin, Viola, and Cello (1909); Ein Kränzlein Bagatellen for Oboe and Piano (1910); 2 Grotesken for Cello and Piano (1910); Horn Sonata (1910); Ein Sommermarchen for Cello (1910; also for Cello and Piano, 1923); Divertimento for 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello (1911); Chamber Trio for 2 Violins and Piano (1912); Grillen for Violin and Piano (1912); Capriccio for Violin and Piano (1915); 2 church sonatas for Violin and Organ (1925–26). keyboard: piano:Ballade (1902); Bagatellen (1902–04); 5 Stücke (1904); Lose Blätter (1908); Frohe Launen (1909); Hausmärchen (3 vols., 1911, 1916, 1920); Eulenspiegeleien (1912); Alte unnennbare Tage (1915); 3 sonatas (1918, 1923, 1923); Deutsche Reigen und Romanzen (1919); Schwänke und Idyllen (1921); Märchentänze (1927); 4 sonatinas (all 1943); many other pieces. organ: 10 chorale preludes (1905); 3 preludes and fugues (1906); Sonata (1907); 8 Charakterstücke (1907); 2 suites (1908, 1909); Variationen über ein Originalthema (1911); Impromptu (1912); Introduktion und Fuge (1912); 8 preludes (1936). VOCAL: Rum bidi burm! for 2 Children’s Voices and Piano (1911); Trali Trala for Children’s Chorus or Chorus and Piano (1918); Tag und Nacht for High Voice and Orch. (1921-22; Cologne, Oct. 22, 1922); Zehn Marienlieder for Women’s Voices or Children’s Chorus and Organ (1922); Deutsehe Vesper for Chorus (1929); Speyerer Domfest-Messe for Chorus and Organ or Small Orch. (Speyer, July 13, 1930); Die heilige Elisabeth, oratorio for Soprano, Speaker, Chorus, and Orch. (Kassel, Nov. 11, 1931); Christnacht for Women’s or Children’s Chorus, Chorus, Soloists, Speaker, and Small Orch. (1932); Das Lebensbuch Gottes, oratorio for Chorus or Women’s Chorus, Soloists, and Organ or Small Orch. (Essen, Nov. 6, 1934); Christ-König-Messe for Chorus and Organ or Orch. or Wind Orch. (Limburg am Lahn, Aug. 11, 1935); Das Lied von der Mutter, oratorio for Soprano, Baritone, Choruses, and Orch. (1938-39; Cologne, Dec. 19, 1939); Te Deum for Soprano, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1945; Munich, Dec. 8, 1946); Totenmesse for Speaking Voices, Chorus, and Instruments (Bavarian Radio, Munich, Nov. 1945; also for Speaking Voices, Choruses, and Orch., 1947; Fulda, April 6, 1952); Müncher Liebfrauen- Messe for Chorus and Organ or Orch. or Wind Orch. (1946); Das Jahr im Lied, oratorio for Chorus, Soloists, Speaker, and Orch. (1951-52; Kassel, April 23, 1952); Deutsche Weihnachtsmesse for Chorus and Organ or Small Orch. (1954); Die Seligen for Chorus, Children’s Chorus, Soloists, and Orch. (1956; Kassel, April 12, 1957); Schiller-Hymne for Chorus, Baritone, and Orch. (Mannheim, Oct. 20, 1957); Deutsche Kindermesse for Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, and Organ (1958; also as the Deutsche Chormesse for Chorus and Organ, 1965); Marianische Kantate for Women’s Chorus, Soloists, and Organ (1960); many choruses and songs.
Bibliography
K. Laux, J. H. (Mainz, 1931); Festgabe J. H. (Mainz, 1939); K. Laux, J. H. (Düsseldorf, 1954); . H.: Verzeichnis Sämtlicher Werke (Mainz, 1990); S. Gmeinwieser, W. Haas, H.-M. Palm-Beulich, and F. Schien, J. H. (Tutzing, 1994).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire