Karl Haas

Who was Karl Haas?

Karl Wilhelm Jacob Haas, musician, musicologist and conductor, was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, where he studied at the Classical College, then at the Universities of Munich and Heidelberg.

His first work was at the Dumont Theatre in Düsseldorf; then as Music advisor for Karlsruhe and Stuttgart radio stations. He escaped Nazi persecution of Jews and settled in Britain in 1939. He worked as Music Director of Old Vic in Bristol, where he composed incidental music and stage scores.

Karl was an enthusiast of Baroque music and a player of the viola d'amore. He edited works of Cherubini, Boccherini, Dittersdorf, Handel, Haydn and others.

In 1941 he founded the London Baroque Ensemble, which had its public debut in 1943, and continued to play until 1966. Members of the Ensemble between 1952 and 1954 included Sidney Sutcliffe, Terence MacDonagh, Natalie James, Roger Lord on oboe; Frederick Thurston, Jack Brymer, Gervase de Peyer, Basil Tschaikov on clarinet; Cecil James, Paul Draper, Edward Wilson on bassoons; James O'Loughlin on contra-bassoon; Dennis Brain, Neill Sanders, Ian Beers on horns; Vivian Joseph on cello; and James Merritt on double-bass.