Harnoncourt-Unverzagt is the name of an old Austrian noble family, which came to Austria from the Duchy of Lorraine, but originated from Luxembourg. [1]
Counts d'Harnoncourt intermarried with Unverzagt family in the 18th century when Joseph Ludwig Matthias de la Fontaine, Count of Harnoncourt (1736–1816) married Countess Maria Leopoldine Unverzagt (1754–1835), who was the last of her line. Their son Count Herbert Ludwig de la Fontaigne, Count of Harnoncourt (1789–1846), took over her coat of arms in 1839 and called himself Graf von Harnoncourt-Unverzagt. All members of the family have descended from him and his wife, Countess Sophie von Haugwitz (1798–1859). [2]
Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt or historically Johann Nikolaus Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt; was an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music from the Classical era and earlier. Starting out as a classical cellist, he founded his own period instrument ensemble, Concentus Musicus Wien, in 1953, and became a pioneer of the Early Music movement. Around 1970, Harnoncourt began conducting opera and concert performances, soon leading international symphony orchestras, and appearing at leading concert halls, operatic venues and festivals. His repertoire then widened to include composers of the 19th and 20th centuries. In 2001 and 2003, he conducted the Vienna New Year's Concert. Harnoncourt was also the author of several books, mostly on subjects of performance history and musical aesthetics.
The House of Lorraine originated as a cadet branch of the House of Metz. It inherited the Duchy of Lorraine in 1473 after the death without a male heir of Nicholas I, Duke of Lorraine. By the marriage of Francis of Lorraine to Maria Theresa of Austria in 1736, and with the success in the ensuing War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748), the House of Lorraine was joined to the House of Habsburg and became known as the House of Habsburg‑Lorraine. Francis, his sons Joseph II and Leopold II, and his grandson Francis II were the last four Holy Roman emperors from 1745 until the dissolution of the empire in 1806. The House of Habsburg-Lorraine inherited the Habsburg Empire, ruling the Austrian Empire and then Austria-Hungary until the dissolution of the monarchy in 1918.
Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky was the second Prince Lichnowsky and a chamberlain at the Imperial Austrian court. He is remembered for his patronage of music and his relationships with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.
The House of Liechtenstein, from which the principality takes its name, is the family which reigns by hereditary right over the principality of Liechtenstein. Only dynastic members of the family are eligible to inherit the throne. The dynasty's membership, rights and responsibilities are defined by a law of the family, which is enforced by the reigning prince and may be altered by vote among the family's dynasts, but which may not be altered by the Government or Parliament of Liechtenstein.
Johann Philipp, Graf von Cobenzl was a statesman of the Habsburg monarchy and the Austrian Empire.
August Victor Louis of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, was a German prince of the Catholic House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry. He was a General Major in the Royal Saxon Army and the owner of Čábráď and Štiavnica, both in modern-day Slovakia.
The House of Habsburg-Lorraine originated from the marriage in 1736 of Francis III, Duke of Lorraine and Bar, and Maria Theresa of Austria, later successively Queen of Bohemia, Queen of Hungary, Queen of Croatia and Archduchess of Austria. Its members are the legitimate surviving line of both the House of Habsburg and the House of Lorraine, inheriting their patrimonial possessions and vocation to the Empire from their female ancestress of the House of Habsburg and from the male line of the House of Lorraine.
Archduke Franz Salvator of Austria was the son of Archduke Karl Salvator of Austria and Princess Maria Immacolata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. He married Archduchess Marie Valerie in 1890, though, due to Marie Valerie’s death in 1924, remarried in 1934 to Baroness Melanie von Riesenfels.
Franz Ludwig Johann Baptist Count von Meran, Baron von Brandhofen was an Austrian nobleman and Viennese courtier.
Elisabeth von Magnus is an Austrian classical mezzo-soprano. The daughter of conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt and violinist Alice Harnoncourt, her professional name derives from her first marriage to Ernst-Jürgen von Magnus. She studied recorder in Vienna, theater at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and voice with Hertha Töpper at the Conservatory of Munich. Her other teachers included Paul Schilhawsky. Early in her career, she performed as a recorder soloist with the Concentus Musicus Wien. She has also worked for ORF as a presenter and announcer.
Count Philip Joseph Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was High chancellor of the Kingdom of Bohemia during the reign of Queen Maria Theresa.
The House of Khevenhüller is the name of an old and important Carinthian noble family, documented there since 1356, with its ancestral seat at Landskron Castle. In the 16th century, the family split into the two branches of Khevenhüller-Frankenburg, Imperial Counts from 1593, and Khevenhüller-Hochosterwitz, raised to Imperial Counts in 1725 and, as Khevenhüller-Metsch, to princely rank (Fürsten) in 1763. The family belongs to high nobility.
Maximilian, Duke von Hohenberg, was the elder son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife Countess Sophie Chotek von Chotkowa und Wognin, Duchess von Hohenberg. Because his parents' marriage was morganatic, he was excluded from succession to the Austro-Hungarian throne, to which his father was heir presumptive, and to inheritance of any of his father's dynastic titles, income, and properties, although not from the archduke's personal estate nor from his mother's property.
Donat John Count Heissler of Heitersheim was an Imperial and Royal Marshal of the Habsburg empire. He was deeply involved in the conflict between the Austrian and Turkish empires. He was born in 1648 and died at Szeged on 1 September 1696.
Johann Karl Philipp, Graf von Cobenzl was an 18th-century politician in the Habsburg monarchy. He was minister plenipotentiary of the Austrian Netherlands in Brussels under Empress Maria Theresia from 1753 until his death in 1770.
Moritz, Prince of Dietrichstein, was a German prince, member of the House of Dietrichstein, 10th and last Prince (Fürst) of Dietrichstein zu Nikolsburg, Count of Proskau-Leslie, Baron (Freiherr) of Hollenburg, Finkenstein and Thalberg.
Philipp Harnoncourt or Philipp Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt was an Austrian theologian, priest and musician. Born into a noble family, he grew up in Graz and decided to become a priest at age 17. He studied in Graz and Munich. In 1963 he founded a department of church music at the later Kunstuniversität Graz. He was appointed professor at the University of Graz in 1972 and was head of the institute of liturgics, Christian art and hymnology until his retirement in 1999.
Franz Harnoncourt, or Harnoncourt-Unverzagt is an Austrian jurist, CEO of the Kastner & Öhler department store in Graz, and president and member of the advisory board of the Grazer Wechselseitige Versicherung.
Karl Harnoncourt is an Austrian physician and academic teacher.
Ladislaja Harnoncourt, née Gräfin von Meran, Freiin von Brandhoven was a member of the Austrian Harnoncourt family. She raised seven children, two of them from her husband's first marriage, including the conductor and pioneer of historically informed performance, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and the priest and patron of the arts Philipp Harnoncourt.