Philipp Harnoncourt

Philipp Harnoncourt or Philipp Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt (9 February 1931 – 25 May 2020) 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. Inspired by the Second Vatican Council, he contributed to the first common Catholic hymnal in German, Gotteslob, and supported ecumenism especially with Orthodox Churches, as a member of the board of Pro Oriente from 1986. He focused on the Trinity, founded the art prize 1+1+1=1 for new works related to the concept, and initiated the restoration of a chapel first dedicated to the Trinity. Life Philipp Harnoncourt was born into nobility in Berlin, the son of Eberhard Harnoncourt (1896–1970) and Ladislaja Johanna Franziska née Gräfin von Meran, Freiin von Brandhoven. He moved with his family to Graz in 1931, living in the family residence . With his brother Nikolaus, he played piano four-hands as a little boy. Both were altar boys at the Graz Cathedral and were thus exposed to church music. When bombing became a threat at the end of 1944, the family moved to Grundlsee. After World War II, they returned to Graz and Philipp decided to become a priest at age 17. He studied theology at the University of Graz and in Munich where he was influenced especially by Romano Guardini, and after finishing his studies, he was ordained as a priest on 11 July 1954. After years as a chaplain in Arnfels and Hartberg, he became secretary of the bishop of Graz, , in 1959.