Nikolaus Harnoncourt is credited with making historical performance practice respectable in Salzburg. His memorable debut concert in 1980 was the prelude to a long string of successes that culminated in the Mozart Week 2006, when Harnoncourt was Artist in Residence and gave his acclaimed ceremonial address on 27 January on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. The inaugural concert and rehearsals from 2006 can be heard on this album.

The 3-disc edition covers the period of Harnoncourt’s influence on the interpretation of Mozart’s music. Between 1980 and 2006, the conductor succeeded in persuading both musicians and audiences to be receptive to new playing and listening habits, while he personally evolved from a pioneer of historical performance practice to an acclaimed maestro.

When Harnoncourt made his debut at the Mozart Week Salzburg on 27 January 1980, concert audiences were under the spell of conductors such as Karl Böhm. At that time, beautiful sound and melody were the central themes of an interpretation. Following indications in the original scores, Harnoncourt moulded articulation, tempi, melodies and accompaniments into a new style with new emphases. Reactions to this in Salzburg at the time were mixed. He received both strong criticism and effusive praise.

Twenty years later, Harnoncourt became Artist in Residence at the Mozart Week 2006 and was the keynote speaker on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. In the meantime, his ideas on historical performance practice had spread worldwide and developed into the basis for a new generation of concertgoers and musicians.

In this edition, Harnoncourt’s inaugural 1980 concert is juxtaposed with rehearsal recordings from 2006. Both provide fascinating insights into the famed conductor’s thought processes.