Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Austrian conductor, cello and viol player, born in Berlin, Germany, December 6th, 1929, died in St. Georgen im Attergau, Austria, March 5th, 2016. In 1953 he founded with his wife Alice Harnoncourt the Concentus Musicus Wien as a specialist ensemble for the performance on authentic instruments of baroque and classical music. From 1971 to 1990 he recorded, together with Gustav Leonhardt, all Bach's sacred cantatas. Since 1970 he has worked as conductor with most of the great European orchestras and many renowned soloists, both in the opera house and the concert hall. His recording activities include the operas, the oratorios and the symphonic works of the 18th and 19th century (such as Beethoven's, Schumann's and Schubert's complete symphonies).