Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt[a] (6 December 1929 – 5 March 2016) was an Austrian conductor, known for his historically informed performances. He specialized in music of the Baroque period, but later extended his repertoire to include Classical and early Romantic works. Among his best known recordings are those of Bach, whose 193 cantatas he recorded with Gustav Leonhardt.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
5 March 2016 (aged 86)
Austrian
Johann Nikolaus Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt (nobility historically)
Cellist, conductor
Pioneer of historically informed performance
Alice Hoffelner
(m. 1953–2016; his death)[1]
4 (including Elisabeth von Magnus)
Starting out as a classical cellist, he founded his own period instrument ensemble, Concentus Musicus Wien, in 1953, and became a pioneer of the Early Music movement. Around 1970, Harnoncourt began conducting opera and concert performances, soon leading international symphony orchestras, and appearing at leading concert halls, operatic venues and festivals. In 2001 and 2003, he conducted the Vienna New Year's Concert. Harnoncourt was also the author of several books, mostly on subjects of performance history and musical aesthetics.
Personal life[edit]
Harnoncourt met his wife Alice through their mutual interest in historically informed performances of Baroque music and co-founded the Concentus Musicus Wien.[1] Their daughter is the mezzo-soprano Elisabeth von Magnus. Their two surviving sons are Philipp and Franz. Their third son Eberhard, a violin maker, died in 1990 in an automobile accident.[22]
Harnoncourt died on 5 March 2016 in the village of Sankt Georgen im Attergau, north east of Salzburg.[23] His widow Alice, their three adult children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survived him. Alice died in July 2022.
Harnoncourt was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music[31] and of the Order Pour le Mérite for Science and Art,[31] and an Honorary Doctor of the University of Edinburgh.[31]