Leonhardt, Gustav

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Gustav Leonhardt, 1928–2012, Dutch harpsicordist, organist, and conductor, studied Schola Cantorum, Basel, Switzerland (1947–50). Leonhardt researched Baroque performing styles and was a key figure in the revival of 17th- and 18th-century music played on original instruments. His great specialty was the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and in 1950, in Vienna, he debuted playing Bach's Art of the Fugue on the harpsichord. He made numerous recordings, many with small ensembles, notably his own Leonhardt Consort (founded 1955), and a number with countertenor Alfred Deller. He also performed in concerts, as a soloist or with small groups, throughout Europe and the United States, and was an influential teacher.

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