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Nikolaus Harnoncourt's full birth name was Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and his historical noble name included the title Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt.
Answer: True
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's birth name was Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt. His family historically held the noble title Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt, though such titles were abolished in Austria in 1919 and are not considered part of a legal name.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1929.
Answer: False
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was born in Berlin, Germany, on December 6, 1929, not in Vienna.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt held German nationality but died in Austria.
Answer: False
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was of Austrian nationality and died in Austria. While born in Berlin, Germany, his family roots and nationality were Austrian.
Through his father, Eberhard Harnoncourt, Nikolaus was a descendant of Emperor Leopold II.
Answer: False
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was a descendant of Emperor Leopold II through his mother, Ladislaja, not his father, Eberhard. His maternal lineage traced back to Archduke Johann, a child of Emperor Leopold II.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's father, Eberhard, was an engineer, and the family settled in their ancestral home, Palais Meran, in Graz, Austria.
Answer: True
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's father, Eberhard, was indeed an engineer. The family relocated to Graz, Austria, in 1931, residing in their ancestral home, Palais Meran.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt voluntarily joined the Hitler Youth and actively participated in its activities.
Answer: False
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's involvement with the Hitler Youth was not voluntary; he was compelled to join and attended under duress, as mandatory participation was enforced by the regime.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt met his wife, Alice, through their shared interest in contemporary jazz music.
Answer: False
Nikolaus Harnoncourt met his wife, Alice Harnoncourt (née Hoffelner), through their shared passion for historically informed performance of Baroque music, which led to their co-founding of Concentus Musicus Wien.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's daughter, Elisabeth von Magnus, is a well-known mezzo-soprano.
Answer: True
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's daughter, Elisabeth von Magnus, is indeed a recognized mezzo-soprano.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt died on March 5, 2016, in Berlin, Germany.
Answer: False
Nikolaus Harnoncourt passed away on March 5, 2016, but his death occurred in St. Georgen im Attergau, Austria, not Berlin, Germany.
What was Nikolaus Harnoncourt's full birth name?
Answer: Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's full birth name was Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt.
Where and when was Nikolaus Harnoncourt born?
Answer: Berlin, Germany, on December 6, 1929
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was born in Berlin, Germany, on December 6, 1929.
Which of the following describes Nikolaus Harnoncourt's nationality and place of death?
Answer: Austrian nationality, died in St. Georgen im Attergau
Nikolaus Harnoncourt held Austrian nationality and passed away in St. Georgen im Attergau, Austria.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's connection to European royalty stems from which side of his family?
Answer: His mother's lineage, through Archduke Johann, a descendant of Emperor Leopold II
Harnoncourt's lineage connected to European royalty originated from his mother's side, specifically through Archduke Johann, who was a descendant of Emperor Leopold II.
What was Nikolaus Harnoncourt's father's profession?
Answer: Engineer
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's father, Eberhard Harnoncourt, was an engineer.
How did Harnoncourt describe his involvement with the Hitler Youth?
Answer: He was compelled to join and attended under duress.
Harnoncourt characterized his participation in the Hitler Youth as compulsory and undertaken under duress, rather than voluntary.
Which of Harnoncourt's children is mentioned as a mezzo-soprano?
Answer: Elisabeth von Magnus
Elisabeth von Magnus, daughter of Nikolaus Harnoncourt, is noted as a mezzo-soprano.
At the Vienna Music Academy, Harnoncourt studied the cello and viola da gamba.
Answer: True
At the Vienna Music Academy, Nikolaus Harnoncourt pursued studies in both the cello and the viola da gamba.
Concentus Musicus Wien, an ensemble dedicated to period instrument performance, was founded by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and his wife in 1953.
Answer: True
Concentus Musicus Wien, an ensemble dedicated to period instrument performance, was co-founded by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and his wife, Alice Harnoncourt (née Hoffelner), in 1953.
During the early years of Concentus Musicus Wien, Harnoncourt primarily played the violin.
Answer: False
In the formative years of Concentus Musicus Wien, Nikolaus Harnoncourt primarily played the cello and the viola da gamba, not the violin.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was a cellist with the Berlin Philharmonic before focusing on conducting.
Answer: False
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was a cellist with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra from 1952 to 1969, not the Berlin Philharmonic, before dedicating himself primarily to conducting.
Which instruments did Nikolaus Harnoncourt study at the Vienna Music Academy?
Answer: Cello and Viola da gamba
Nikolaus Harnoncourt studied the cello and the viola da gamba at the Vienna Music Academy.
Who co-founded the Concentus Musicus Wien ensemble with Nikolaus Harnoncourt in 1953?
Answer: His wife, Alice Hoffelner
Nikolaus Harnoncourt co-founded Concentus Musicus Wien in 1953 with his wife, Alice Hoffelner.
For how many years did Nikolaus Harnoncourt play cello with the Vienna Symphony?
Answer: Approximately 17 years (1952-1969)
Nikolaus Harnoncourt served as a cellist with the Vienna Symphony for approximately 17 years, from 1952 to 1969.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was primarily known as a composer of symphonies and operas.
Answer: False
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was primarily recognized as a conductor and cellist, and as a seminal figure in the Early Music movement and historically informed performance, rather than as a composer of symphonies and operas.
The main goal of Concentus Musicus Wien was to perform early music using modern instruments to achieve a louder sound.
Answer: False
The primary objective of Concentus Musicus Wien was to perform early music utilizing period instruments to authentically recreate the historical sound and performance practices, not to use modern instruments for increased volume.
When conducting modern instrument orchestras, Harnoncourt abandoned all considerations of historical performance practice.
Answer: False
Contrary to abandoning historical considerations, Nikolaus Harnoncourt maintained a focus on historical performance practice, including tempi and dynamics, even when conducting orchestras utilizing modern instruments.
Harnoncourt's book 'Musik als Klangrede' explored his concept of music as a form of speech or communication.
Answer: True
The title 'Musik als Klangrede' (Music as Speech) directly reflects Harnoncourt's philosophical exploration of music as a communicative act, akin to language.
What is Nikolaus Harnoncourt most recognized for in the music world?
Answer: Being a pioneer of historically informed performances and the Early Music movement
Nikolaus Harnoncourt is most widely recognized for his pioneering role in historically informed performances and his significant contributions to the Early Music movement.
What was the primary characteristic of the Concentus Musicus Wien ensemble's performances?
Answer: Performance on period instruments to recreate historical sound
The defining characteristic of Concentus Musicus Wien's performances was the use of period instruments to authentically recreate the soundscapes of historical musical eras.
When conducting modern orchestras, Harnoncourt focused on maintaining authenticity in:
Answer: Tempi, dynamics, and other performance practice elements
Even when conducting modern instrument orchestras, Harnoncourt emphasized authenticity by focusing on elements such as tempi, dynamics, and other historical performance practice considerations.
What does the title of Harnoncourt's book 'Musik als Klangrede' suggest about his musical philosophy?
Answer: Music is a form of communication, akin to speech.
The title 'Musik als Klangrede' implies Harnoncourt's philosophical view that music functions as a form of communication, analogous to spoken language.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's early recordings for Telefunken/Teldec included works by Bach and Monteverdi.
Answer: True
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's early recordings for Telefunken/Teldec featured significant works by composers such as J.S. Bach and Claudio Monteverdi, alongside others like Henry Purcell and Jean-Philippe Rameau.
The ambitious project to record all of J.S. Bach's cantatas, undertaken by Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt for Teldec, was completed in 1990.
Answer: True
The extensive Teldec project to record all of J.S. Bach's cantatas, a collaboration between Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt, was indeed completed in 1990, spanning nearly two decades.
The Teldec Bach cantata recordings by Harnoncourt and Leonhardt exclusively featured female soloists.
Answer: False
The Teldec Bach cantata recordings by Harnoncourt and Leonhardt notably featured an all-male choir and soloist roster, with the exception of specific cantatas designated for a female soprano voice.
Harnoncourt made the first historically informed recordings of Bach's Mass in B minor and the St Matthew Passion in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Answer: True
Harnoncourt made pioneering historically informed performance recordings of Bach's Mass in B minor (1968) and the St Matthew Passion (1970) during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Harnoncourt's 2002 recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 included a lecture discussing the symphony's fragments.
Answer: True
Harnoncourt's 2002 recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 with the Vienna Philharmonic was notable for including an accompanying lecture by Harnoncourt that explored the symphony's fragments.
Which of these was NOT among Harnoncourt's early recordings for Telefunken/Teldec?
Answer: Mozart's Requiem
While Harnoncourt's early Telefunken/Teldec recordings included works by Purcell, Bach, and Rameau, Mozart's Requiem was not among these initial releases.
What was the goal of the extensive Teldec project involving Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt?
Answer: To perform and record all of J.S. Bach's cantatas
The ambitious Teldec project, a collaboration between Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt, aimed to perform and record all of J.S. Bach's cantatas.
Which of the following Bach works did Harnoncourt record in historically informed performance before 1971?
Answer: Mass in B minor
Harnoncourt recorded Bach's Mass in B minor in a historically informed performance in 1968, prior to 1971.
What was the significance of Harnoncourt's recordings of Beethoven's symphonies?
Answer: They were noted for their approach to historical authenticity in interpretation.
Harnoncourt's recordings of Beethoven's symphonies, particularly those with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, were distinguished by their rigorous approach to historical authenticity in interpretation.
Which ensemble did Harnoncourt collaborate with on benchmark recordings of Beethoven's symphonies?
Answer: Chamber Orchestra of Europe (COE)
Harnoncourt collaborated with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe (COE) on benchmark recordings of Beethoven's symphonies.
Harnoncourt's conducting debut at La Scala involved a performance of Mozart's 'The Magic Flute'.
Answer: False
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's conducting debut at La Scala (specifically La Piccola Scala) was with Monteverdi's *Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria*, not Mozart's *The Magic Flute*.
Harnoncourt expanded his repertoire to include works by composers like Beethoven and Schubert, moving beyond Baroque music.
Answer: True
Nikolaus Harnoncourt expanded his interpretive scope beyond Baroque music to encompass significant works by Classical and early Romantic composers, including Beethoven and Schubert.
Harnoncourt never conducted opera at the Vienna State Opera.
Answer: False
This statement is false; Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducted several Mozart operas at the Vienna State Opera between 1987 and 1991.
What opera did Harnoncourt conduct for his debut at La Piccola Scala?
Answer: Monteverdi's *Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria*
Nikolaus Harnoncourt made his conducting debut at La Piccola Scala with Monteverdi's opera *Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria*.
Besides Baroque music, Harnoncourt notably championed repertoire from which musical periods?
Answer: Classical and early Romantic
Beyond his foundational work in Baroque music, Harnoncourt significantly championed repertoire from the Classical and early Romantic periods.
Which Mozart operas did Harnoncourt conduct at the Vienna State Opera between 1987 and 1991?
Answer: The Magic Flute, Idomeneo, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Così fan tutte
Between 1987 and 1991, Harnoncourt conducted four Mozart operas at the Vienna State Opera: *Die Zauberflöte*, *Idomeneo*, *Die Entführung aus dem Serail*, and *Così fan tutte*.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducted the Vienna New Year's Concert twice, in 2001 and 2003.
Answer: True
Nikolaus Harnoncourt led the Vienna Philharmonic in the prestigious New Year's Concerts on two occasions: 2001 and 2003.
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra named Nikolaus Harnoncourt their Honorary Guest Conductor in 2000.
Answer: True
In October 2000, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra bestowed upon Nikolaus Harnoncourt the title of Honorary Guest Conductor.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's final performance with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra was in 2013, conducting Bruckner's Symphony No. 5.
Answer: True
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's final engagement with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra occurred in October 2013, featuring a performance of Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 5.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt retired from conducting on his 86th birthday due to a lack of interest in performing.
Answer: False
Nikolaus Harnoncourt retired from conducting due to physical limitations, stating his 'bodily strength requires him to cancel future plans,' not due to a lack of interest.
The Styriarte festival in Graz was founded to honor Nikolaus Harnoncourt and he programmed it for 31 years.
Answer: True
The Styriarte festival, established in Graz, Austria, was indeed founded to honor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and he was instrumental in programming it for 31 years.
Among his many awards, Harnoncourt received the Polar Music Prize in 1994.
Answer: True
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was honored with the Polar Music Prize in 1994, among numerous other prestigious accolades throughout his career.
What honorary title did the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra bestow upon Nikolaus Harnoncourt?
Answer: Honorary Guest Conductor
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra designated Nikolaus Harnoncourt as their Honorary Guest Conductor in 2000.
What was the reason Nikolaus Harnoncourt gave for his retirement in December 2015?
Answer: His physical strength required him to cancel future plans.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt cited diminishing physical strength as the reason for his retirement in December 2015, stating it necessitated the cancellation of his future engagements.
The Styriarte festival, founded in Graz, honors Nikolaus Harnoncourt and is dedicated to:
Answer: Connecting Harnoncourt more closely to his hometown
The Styriarte festival in Graz was established to honor Nikolaus Harnoncourt and foster a closer connection between him and his hometown.
What prestigious award did Harnoncourt receive in 2005 for his lifetime achievements?
Answer: Kyoto Prize
In 2005, Nikolaus Harnoncourt was honored with the Kyoto Prize for his lifetime achievements in music.
What was notable about Harnoncourt's final recording mentioned, featuring Beethoven's Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5?
Answer: It was praised for its 'blazing intensity'.
Harnoncourt's final recording, featuring Beethoven's Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5 with Concentus Musicus Wien, was characterized by its 'blazing intensity'.