Whether it was Beethoven or free jazz, work by Scarlatti or Louis Andriessen, whether he performed with the Concertgebouw Orchestra or with the cabaret artist Ramses Shaffy, it all seemed to go well for him. But the common thread in Polo de Haas’ long music career was his own improvisations on piano. And don’t confuse improvisations with ’empty whining’, he once said, ‘I’m always looking for depth.’
While most musicians focus on one style of music, De Haas explored almost all musical corners. That started at the Amsterdam conservatory: during the day he studied classical music, in the evenings he dabbled in the jazz circuit, a very unusual combination at the time. As a musician, De Haas moved smoothly with the musical spirit of the times, but always made his own choices. When Ramses Shaffy asked him for the performance in the 1960s Shaffy Chantant, he promised on the condition that he could also play works by classical and contemporary composers there. With bass clarinetist Harry Sparnaay he formed the duo Fusion Moderne, which focused on contemporary music.
Performing in a swimming pool
De Haas became known to the general public in the 1970s for his TV program Playing with music† With composer Peter Schat he threw himself into electronic music. He also had his own concert series, which he often interpreted in an unorthodox way, by performing at the edge of a swimming pool, for example, or on the roof of the Beurs van Berlage.
He constantly moved the picket plates in the music. In the 1990s he already combined all kinds of musical genres – from classical to non-Western – with other art genres such as poetry, film and dance during his own concert series in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The work of his friend Simeon ten Holt was close to his heart. in service Canto Ostinato he kept finding new layers and meanings.
He performed well into old age, until he had to stop his concerts because of the corona measures. During a lockdown cleaning, De Haas found a band from 1980 at home with improvisations on the piano. He decided to go back into the studio to improvise: his latest album consists of both old and new improvisations.
Last Wednesday, De Haas was admitted with severe pneumonia. He died on Sunday in his sleep, surrounded by his loved ones. ‘At 7:48 pm’, according to his partner, ‘as if he had to perform at 8 pm.’