eng |  ita  |  deu  |  esp

home  |  list of works  |  discography  |  the pianist painter  |  contacts

Jean-Jacques Hauser was born on 30 June, 1932, in Glarus, Switzerland. First of two children, he spends his childhood and youth in Haslen, a small town a few miles away from Glarus. Within his family music is of paramount importance. His father, a high school teacher, is also very active as an instrumental and choral ensembles director, in which his mother participates assiduously.

Very soon, Jean-Jacques also is fascinated by music and even before going to school he tries to approach the piano by imitating his mother as she often plays popular melodies. Later and spontaneously, he's able to play on the keyboard what he has just heard and explore the many possibilities of accompaniment. As his father notices his outstanding inclination, he starts giving him lessons according to the traditional system.

In 1949 he enrolls at the Zurich Conservatory in which he attends piano courses under Erich Vollenwyder’s and Max Egger’s guidance, as well as attending courses of counterpoint, composition and direction.

In 1952 he gets a teaching diploma and in 1956 he gets a performer degree. His skills are appreciated by all teachers and confirmed by official awards such as:

After getting his performance degree, he becomes a teacher at The Alpine Mittelschule in Davos, Switzerland, for a short period. At that time he meets Hannes Keller, a chemistry and mathematics researcher, and a deep friendship grows between them.

At the same time, he enters a contest in Zurich, organized by the Swiss television in different regions, getting to the finals. At this time he meets the pianist Marsa Alberta, also a finalist in the Ticino region. The award consists of a contract for a concert for two pianos and an orchestra broadcast live from the Bellerive studio.
This first musical encounter marks the beginning of a long and intensive cooperation in a piano duo.

In 1959, he moves to Bellinzona where he joins his partner who had founded the City Piano School (Scuola Pianistica di Bellinzona).

Teaching is conducted at a professional level, giving interested students the opportunity to prepare all the main and complementary subjects required for the diploma exams at the Conservatory Giuseppe Verdi in Milan.

The headquarters of the Piano School are equipped with a small hall in which students' recitals and classes are held regularly. Besides, many concerts are proposed by great musicians, as well as musical gatherings, music history courses and lectures.

He performs concerts as a soloist, duo piano and orchestra.

Franz Liszt, Valse Impromptu in A-flat major (Vivace scherzando)
for piano

audio

Franz Schubert, Grand Rondeau in A major op. 107 (D 951)
for piano, four hands

audio and video

Johannes Brahms, Sixteen Waltzes op. 39
for piano, four hands

audio and video

Ludwig van Beethoven, Concert in G major n. 4 op. 58 (1. Allegro moderato)
for piano and orchestra
Radiorchestra directed by Otmar Nussio

audio

Alongside with his teaching and concert activity, Jean-Jacques Hauser is tirelessly devoted to composition, to writing music for solo, chamber, orchestra, and rarely leave his favorite instrument: the piano.

In 1962, his "Blue Book" dialogues for two pianos is awarded as the best composition at the Giovanni Battista Viotti Competition in Vercelli.

His predilection is still directed to improvisation, which he practices on a daily basis in his studio and to the great amusement of his friends. With extraordinary dexterity he can imitate the styles of great composers presenting, at a time, the most diverse musical forms.

This rare gift rises curiosity and keen interest in his friend Hannes Keller, a great inventor in different fields and enthusiastic music lover. According to him, this way of making music should have been appreciated by the general public. Supported by his exceptional imagination and by his incredible skills he invents the story of the virtuous Tartarov, a mute pianist ... grown up in Georgia.

So he conceives the great concert held on April 18th, 1968 at the Tonhalle in Zurich. In this memorable evening, the good Swiss pianist Jean-Jacques Hauser with his slightly dreamy expression suddenly assumes his strong personality and irrepressible virtuoso Tartarov, the unchallenged improvisation myth that knows all the secrets of the keyboard of the great masters.

During this fantastic evening the myth Antonej Sergejvitch Tartarov, the virtuous, was born - as in the age of Franz Liszt – the one who dares to improvise freely on themes proposed by the public.

From this time on also concert managers regularly ask him to include the now famous interpretations "à la manière de ..." in his programs, giving the recital a touch of unusual freshness.

All the details of the legendary concert at the Tonhalle in Zurich April 18, 1968:

• the meticulous preparation
• the creation of Tartarov's image
• the entire live recording of the evening
• the public and press reactions
• the international echoes
• Hannes Keller considerations summary
• over a hundred improvisations performed live in concert and recorded in the radio and television studios

are available at www.tartarov.ch.