I recently found out that Dutch harpsichordist and influential teacher Gustav Leonhardt had passed away January 12th. I first encountered his recordings in college particularly his effort with Nikolaus Harnoncourt to record all of Bach's sacred cantatas using period instruments and all male voices. A massive project that started in 1971 and only completed in 1990. I felt Harnoncourt's choir was too harsh and militant; but Leonhardt's was full of spirituality and earthiness though his soprano soloists had trouble at times. The cantata Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ (BWV 91) is one of my favorite cantatas and the wonderful soundscape is typical of Leonhardt. I was not a fan of Leonhardt's harpsichord playing when he was younger because I felt it was a little bit stiff; but I think as he got older, he loosened up. A wonderful example is the above clip of the theme to Bach's Goldberg variations which was produced in 1976.
I also want to mention these two in memoriam videos of Gustav Leonhardt: Bach's concerto for 4 harpsichords and this interview in Dutch (a language that I don't understand).
