Harnoncourt was born in Berlin, was brought up in Graz and studied music in Vienna. Nikolaus Harnoncourt founded Concentus Musicus Wien with his wife, Alice Hoffelner, in 1953 while playing cello with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. That group was dedicated to authentic performances on period instruments, and by the 1970s his work with it had made him quite well known. He played the viola da gamba at this time, as well as the cello.


Read more about Nikolaus Harnoncourt on Last.fm.