Page "Music of Denmark" Paragraph 27

* Carl Nielsen ( 1865 – 1931 ), now an internationally recognized composer, was the dominant figure in Danish music and musical life from the end of the 1890s until well into the 20th century.

He had grown up in a small village on Funen but, by performing with folk musicians as a child and as a bugler in the army, he was able to enter the music conservatory in Copenhagen in 1884.

By the time he took over Gade's role around 1900, Denmark's music scene was firmly established with strong popular interest and support.

Nielsen's orchestral music, including six symphonies and concertos for flute, violin, and clarinet, is widely performed.

Indeed, the success of his First Symphony when it was played in Berlin in 1896 paved the way for his growing reputation.

The Third Symphony ( 1912 ), which interestingly contains wordless vocal solos, was performed in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Finland within the first two years.

The Fourth Symphony ( 1916 ) featuring a battle between two sets of timpani is the one which has been most widely recorded.

Maskarade ( 1906 ), a three-act opera based on the play by Ludvig Holberg, is regarded as the Danish national opera.

Nielsen also composed the opera Saul og David ( 1901 ) which offers marvellous chorus scenes.

Another important choral work is the cantata Hymnus amoris ( 1896 ), a beautiful composition for choir and orchestra.

He is also remembered for the incidental music he wrote for Adam Oehlenschläger's play Aladdin as well as for the songs he set to music, many of which are still popular in Denmark.