This 15-CD set pays tribute to Austrian conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, who died on March 5th 2016. He was thus described in his obituary in The Guardian: “Nikolaus Harnoncourt, who has died aged 86, was one of the most innovative and influential conductors of the second half of the 20th century, bringing the scholarship and sensibility of historical performance to the mainstream repertoire with sometimes controversial, but always illuminating results.”
Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s influence on musical performance was transformative. In the 1950s, already established as an orchestral cellist in Vienna, he struck a new path by founding Concentus Musicus Wien, dedicated to performance on period instruments. As a conductor he developed relationships with major orchestras, always shedding new light on mainstream repertoire with his deep understanding of the composer’s intentions and historical performing style. This 15-CD collection, spanning eras from the late Renaissance to Romanticism, demonstrates the scope of his achievement.
