Clara Haskil et Rafael Kubelik

In 1951, Clara Haskil signed an exclusive contract with Philips, which led to a series of recordings that only rarely satisfied her and which, according to those heard her on stage, only give a blurred image of her talent. Furthermore, this contract prevented her from making studio recordings with some of her best-loved conductors like Giulini, Keilberth, or Kubelik. There are two exceptions: in 1956, Columbia convinced Philips to "lend" them Clara Haskil for two concertos with Geza Anda under Alceo Galliera and in 1957, with Ferenc Fricsay, thanks to an agreement between Philips and Deutsche Grammophon for the release of the Mozart 27th Concerto recorded in Munich. But
despite Columbia's magnificent propositions, Haskil remained faithful to Philips.
By chance, a number of live recordings have greatly increased Haskil's studio discography. The two present concertos are live recordings: the Schumann Concerto , recorded in Copenhagen in February 1955, and the Chopin Concerto, recorded in Paris in January 1960 with the same conductor, Rafael Kubelik. And, as a special bonus we have included this Schumann, which is a first-time release. This concert was recorded in Copenhagen via the telephone but two minutes are lost (at the end of the second movement and beginning of the third). We filled this gap with the same passage taken from the concert with Kletzki of July 1953.

• Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21
• Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54