Carl Nielsen (Carl August Nielsen) was a Danish violinist, composer,
conductor, writer, and teacher born (in Norre Lyndelse, on the island of Funen)
on June 9, 1865. Although now remembered
almost exclusively as a composer – in fact, Denmark’s greatest composer - he
spent many years earning his livelihood as a violinist as well as an Army bugler. His parents were most likely his very first
teachers, although it was not their intention that he become a professional
musician. In late 1879, he became a
bugler and trombonist for the army. He
was 14 years old. Nevertheless, he
continued to study the violin, sometimes performing at barn dances. In 1881, he began studying privately with
Carl Larsen, a custodian at the Odense Cathedral. After receiving a release from his army job,
he entered the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen in 1884 - one source calls this the Copenhagen Conservatory. His violin teacher there was Valdemar Tofte,
a very obscure violinist and teacher. He
left (or graduated) from the conservatory in late 1886. He was 22 years old. In 1887, he joined the second violin section
of the Royal Danish Orchestra and remained there for about 16 years – one
source says this happened in 1889. Later
on, he was also hired to conduct the orchestra every once in a while. In 1910, he was officially appointed
assistant conductor. However, he had to
give up this post in May of 1914. All
the while, he had been giving private violin and piano lessons simply to
improve his income. His opus 1 was
premiered when he was 23 years old – September of 1888. In 1916, he took a teaching post at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. He was 50 years old. He continued to teach there until he
died. Outside of Denmark, among the works that continue to be very popular are his symphony number 4, the violin
concerto, the Aladdin Suite, the Helios overture, and his string quartet number
4. He produced well over 100 works
during his lifetime. He also wrote - aside from voluminous correspondence - a set of short essays in 1925 and a memoir of his youth in 1927, both available in English translations. Nielsen died on
October 3, 1931, at age 66.
