Nikolaus Harnoncourt (Johann Nicolaus Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt) (b. 6 December, 1929) is an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music from the classical era and earlier. Biography Harnoncourt was born in Berlin, Germany. He was raised in Graz, Austria and studied music in Vienna. His mother, Ladislaja Gräfin von Meran, Freiin von Brandhoven, was the granddaughter of the Habsburg Archduke Johann, the 13th child of the Emperor Leopold II. His father, Eberhard de la Fontaine Graf d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt was an engineer working in Berlin who had two children from a previous marriage. Two years after Nikolaus's birth, his brother Philipp was born. The family eventually moved to Graz, where Eberhard had obtained a post in the state-government (Landesregierung) of Styria. He was a cellist with the Vienna Symphony from 1952 to 1969. In 1953, Har

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