Niels Gade

Niels Wilhelm Gade (22 February 1817, Copenhagene28094e2809421 December 1890, Copenhagen) was a Danish organist, violinist, and conductor, regarded as the leading Danish composer of the 19th century. He was born into the family of a guitar maker and received his musical education from the composer Andreas Berggreen.

Gade became a violinist in the Danish Royal Orchestra, which in 1841 premiered his overture "Echoes of Ossian" (Efterklange af Ossian). His subsequent First Symphony attracted the approval of Felix Mendelssohn, who performed it in March 1843 in Leipzig with the Gewandhaus Orchestra and invited Gade to serve as second conductor. In Leipzig Gade also taught at the newly established conservatory, and in 1845 he conducted the premiere of Mendelssohne28099s Violin Concerto.

After Mendelssohne28099s death in 1847, Gade was expected to succeed him as head of the orchestra, but the outbreak of the Danishe28093German War forced him to return to Denmark. Back in Copenhagen he became director of the Copenhagen Musical Society, where he organized a choir and orchestra and remained in this position until his death.

Although he did not obtain the post of organist at Copenhagen Cathedral, from 1850 until the end of his life he served as organist at Holmen Church. In 1852 he married the daughter of Johann Hartmann, and later, together with Hartmann and Holger Paulli, became a director of the Copenhagen Conservatory, where he helped oversee the training of composers such as Edvard Grieg and Carl Nielsen. His son, Axel Gade, also became a notable composer and violinist.

Gadee28099s output includes eight symphonies, several overtures, a violin concerto, chamber and ballet music, works for piano and organ, and a number of cantatas. Working within the Romantic tradition, he made active use of Danish folklore in his music. His cantata "The Daughter of the Elf King" (Elverskud) was included in the Danish Culture Canon in 2006, and Robert Schumann dedicated to Gade the "Nordic Song" (No. 41) from Album for the Young (Op. 68), built on the note sequence Ge28093Ae28093De28093E.

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