Gustav Leonhardt, harpsichordist and father of the early-music movement, died on January 16th, aged 83

"No unnecessary gesture, no hint of emotion: senza baldanza, as a composer might have marked it."
But for listeners really tuning their ears to his playing, it could not be more full of passion. R.I.P.

I'm more than satisfied - delighted. Thank goodness at least one newspaper has its priorities right ...

This obituary of Gustav Leonhardt is both very competent and witty, the best I have read in any major newspaper or magazine since his death on January 16, 2012.

K.L.
Toronto

Well done. The writer actually knew their subject and at the same time was able to relate it to the readers.

I had the pleasure to see him some 18 years ago in my little town, Udine, Northeast Italy. I do think there must be a sort of generosity in coming and playing even in small towns like mine. May he live for ever in the heart of music lovers.

Leonhardt's recording of the Art of the Fugue made in 1969 -available on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi- is a beacon of honesty, superb musicality and modern execution. The romanticism of W. Landowska was replaced with discipline, objectivity and determination to show a truthful, direct interpretation, which set some of the best standards held in contemporary keyboard execution. RIP Maestro.

I remember as an undergraduate many years ago being thrilled by his ‘period instruments’ approach to JS Bach. It should be stressed that 'performance practice' was also important, as was his collaboration with Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Leonhardt's cantata performances were exquisite, and it all seemed so radical at that time. I still can't get over how beautiful were the treble voices he employed. God be with him.

"[...]at least one newspaper has its priorities right ..." (sic)

Some of the comments here reek of mindless snobbery.*

Establishing hierarchies amongst the musical aesthetic values that emanate from the artistic legacies of musicians of vastly different genres may be as ludicrous as imposing pecking orders amongst the gustative aesthetic values that our palates perceive when imbibing markedly different types of alcoholic beverages, such as wine, whiskey and beer.

So as to save some of you from outputting the great emotional effort that underlies every high-handed tirade, let me disclose my strong belief that Gustav Leonhardt’s approach to period instrument music was notoriously more clinical and comprehensive than Etta James’ approach to the rather wide variety of popular music genres she excelled at.

*Maybe I should have not incurred in the ‘mindless snobbery’ pleonasm: snobbery is inherently mindless.

Well, this may be my U.S. bias, but I think most people are satisfied with The Economist's choice of harpsichordist Gustav Leonhardt over legendary blues singer Etta James to grace the obituary page this week. I know I am.

Sigh.

"Brandenberg". How on earth did that get past your erudite subeditors?

Not sarcasm - I'm awed by the erudition incorporated in the Economist's obituaries, which is why I'm surprised that a sloppy typo found its way into this one. (I note that the online edition still hasn't been corrected).

Bravo ! This is a very competent article ! It leads to think at Mr Leonhardt's great followers such as Kenneth Gilbert and Scott Ross, to name only those ! Denise Simard-Lapointe, Canada

Totally love this piece. Thank you so much.

As someone who grew up on rock (never really developed a taste for Beethoven or Mozart), I think The Economist got it right this time. Leonhardt (along with Harnoncourt) changed the way I heard music.

I derive sarcasm from your employment of “erudite subeditors”, Tom.