Deutsche Harmonia Mundi

Lore & Background

Rudolf Ruby, founder of Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, had been imprisoned during the war as a member of the Freiburger Kreis of anti-Nazi resistance. In the 1960s, at a reunion, he met fellow resistance member Prince Joseph-Ernst Fürst Fugger von Glött, who invited him to use the Fugger castle, Schloss Fugger, in Kirchheim in Schwaben for concerts and recordings. This connection led to the 'Music of the Fuggers' recording, a co-production with WDR by The Consort of Musicke directed by Anthony Rooley.

Ruby had distribution deals with his friend Bernard Coutaz of Harmonia Mundi France. Later, BASF distributed the label, then EMI acquired a stake in 1987 and full ownership from 1988 to 1992, before finally selling to BMG in 1992. Ruby retired in 1993. In his retirement, he later founded the smaller Ars Musici label, which was purchased in 2008 by Membran.

Reader's Guide

Deutsche Harmonia Mundi holds significance as a pioneering German classical label specializing in historically informed performances of early music. Its house orchestra, Collegium Aureum, founded in 1964, became a benchmark for authentic period-instrument recordings. The label's legacy is intertwined with the personal history of its founder, Rudolf Ruby, a member of the anti-Nazi Kreisau Circle, whose post-war connections enabled unique recording venues like Schloss Fugger. The label's distribution partnership with Harmonia Mundi France and later ownership by BMG and Sony Music Entertainment ensured its catalog's continued reach. Ruby's later founding of Ars Musici further demonstrates his enduring commitment to classical music. DHM's recordings remain important for scholars and enthusiasts of early music, preserving a distinct German approach to the repertoire.

Did You Know?

• Rudolf Ruby was imprisoned during the war as a member of the Freiburger Kreis of anti-Nazi resistance.
• The label's house orchestra Collegium Aureum was founded in 1964 and led by Franzjosef Maier.
• Ruby used Schloss Fugger in Kirchheim in Schwaben for concerts and recordings, thanks to Prince Joseph-Ernst Fürst Fugger von Glött.
• After retiring in 1993, Ruby founded the smaller Ars Musici label, which was purchased in 2008 by Membran.