Gustav Leonhardt facts for kids
Gustav Leonhardt (born in 's-Graveland, Netherlands, on May 30, 1928; died in Amsterdam, on January 16, 2012) was a famous Dutch musician. He was known for playing the harpsichord and organ. He also worked as a conductor. Gustav Leonhardt became very well known for playing old music on instruments from that time. When he started his career, the harpsichord was not very popular. Music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods was often played in a modern way. Gustav Leonhardt helped people understand how music by Johann Sebastian Bach would have sounded in Bach's own time.
Early Life and Studies
Gustav Leonhardt grew up in a Dutch, Protestant family in the countryside. His Protestantism was an important part of his life. His father was a wealthy businessman. Both of his parents loved music and played as amateur musicians. When Gustav was ten, they bought a harpsichord.
Life became difficult during World War II. Gustav often had to hide to avoid being sent away for forced labor. When he was not hiding, he spent a lot of time practicing the harpsichord.
Gustav Leonhardt studied organ and harpsichord in Basel, Switzerland. At that time, this was one of the only places in Europe to learn how to play early music. He later went to Vienna to study conducting. His parents thought conducting would be a good way to earn money. However, Gustav was not very interested in conducting. He spent most of his time in the library. He studied old music scores and copied music. Much of this music had not been published or performed in centuries.
Musical Career
In 1952, Gustav Leonhardt became a harpsichord professor in Vienna. There, he met Nikolaus Harnoncourt, who shared his interest in old music. Soon after, Gustav became a harpsichord professor at the Amsterdam Conservatorium. He taught there until 1988. He also played the organ at the Waalse Kerk in Amsterdam. This church has a very famous historical organ.
Gustav became well known for his harpsichord concerts and recordings. He led a group called the Leonhardt Baroque Ensemble. They worked with the English counter-tenor Alfred Deller. They made some of the first recordings of Bach's cantatas. His wife, Marie, was also in the ensemble. Nikolaus Harnoncourt played the cello with them. Together with Harnoncourt, Gustav conducted and recorded all of Bach's cantatas.
Leonhardt lived in a large 16th-century house in Amsterdam. It faced one of the city's canals. He looked very serious when he performed on stage. But he had a good sense of humor. Sometimes, he would even play a fun piece of ragtime music at the end of a concert!
Gustav Leonhardt passed away in Amsterdam on January 16, 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Gustav Leonhardt para niños
