What is Nikolaus Harnoncourt?
{{Infobox person | name = Nikolaus Harnoncourt | honorific suffix = Count de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt | image = Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1980).jpg | alt = | caption = Harnoncourt in 1980 | birth_date = {{birth date|1929|12|06|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Berlin]], [[Weimar Republic|Germany]] | death_date = {{death date and age|2016|03|05|1929|12|06|df=y}} | death_place = [[St. Georgen im Attergau]], [[Austria]]<ref>[https://www.apa.at/News/6228580980/dirigent-nikolaus-harnoncourt-86-jaehrig-gestorben.html Dirigent Nikolaus Harnoncourt 86-jährig gestorben.] Austria Presse Agentur. 6 March 2016.</ref> | spouse = [[Alice Harnoncourt]]<br>(m. ?-2016, his death) | children = [[Elisabeth von Magnus]] and 3 sons }} '''Nikolaus Harnoncourt''' (born [[Berlin]], 6 December 1929, died [[St. Georgen im Attergau]], 5 March 2016) was an [[Austrians|Austrian]] [[conducting|conductor]]. He was famous for his conducting music from many years ago using orchestras with [[period instruments]]. ==Life== Harnoncourt was born in [[Berlin]] into a [[nobility|noble]] family who were related to the [[Holy Roman Emperor]]s and other [[Europe]]an [[royal]]ties. His full name was '''Johann Nicolaus Graf de la Fontaine und d’Harnoncourt-Unverzag'''. He was brought up in [[Graz]], [[Austria]] and studied music in [[Vienna]]. From 1952 to 1969, he was a [[cello|cellist]] with the [[Vienna Symphony Orchestra]]. He soon became interested in performing old music with [[period instruments]]. He started a group called Concentus Musicus Wien. They tried to make the music of composers from the [[Baroque]] period sound like it had done when it was written. Harnoncourt played the [[viola da gamba]] as well as the cello. In 1970, he conducted [[Claudio Monteverdi|Monteverdi]]'s [[opera]] ''Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria'' at [[La Scala]], [[Milan]]. In 1971, Harnoncourt started to work with the conductor [[Gustav Leonhardt]]. They recorded all of [[Johann Sebastian Bach|J.S. Bach]]'s [[cantata