Carl August Nielsen was a Danish composer, conductor and violinist, widely recognized as his country's most prominent composer.
Denmark's most famous classical composer is Carl Nielsen, especially remembered for his six symphonies, while the Royal Danish Ballet specializes in the work of Danish choreographer August Bournonville. Danes have distinguished themselves as jazz musicians, and the Copenhagen Jazz Festival has acquired an international reputation. The modern pop and rock scene has produced a few names of note, including MØ, Lukas Graham, D-A-D, Tina Dico, Aqua, The Raveonettes, Michael Learns to Rock, Volbeat, Alphabeat, Safri Duo, Medina, Oh Land, Kashmir, King Diamond, Outlandish, and Mew. Lars Ulrich is the first Danish musician to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Niels Wilhelm Gade was a Danish composer, conductor, violinist, organist and teacher. He is considered the most important Danish musician of his day.
Bernhard Severin Ingemann was a Danish novelist and poet.
"Erlkönig" is a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It depicts the death of a child assailed by a supernatural being, the Erlking, a king of the fairies. It was originally written by Goethe as part of a 1782 Singspiel, Die Fischerin.
Asger Hamerik (Hammerich), was a Danish composer of classical music.
Frederik Reesen Magle is a Danish composer, concert organist, and pianist. He writes contemporary classical music as well as fusion of classical music and other genres. His compositions include orchestral works, cantatas, chamber music, and solo works, including several compositions commissioned by the Danish Royal Family. Magle has gained a reputation as an organ virtuoso, and as a composer and performing artist who does not refrain from venturing into more experimental projects – often with improvisation – bordering jazz, electronica, and other non-classical genres.
Georg Valdemar Høeberg was a Danish violinist, conductor and composer. He was the brother of the opera singer Albert Høeberg and cellist Ernst Høeberg and grandson of Hans Christian Lumbye.
Peter Heise was a Danish composer, best known for the opera Drot og Marsk.
Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann was a Danish composer. During his lifetime, Hartmann occupied a central place in Danish musical life.
Carl Joachim Andersen was a Danish flutist, conductor and composer born in Copenhagen, son of the flutist Christian Joachim Andersen. Both as a virtuoso and as composer of flute music, he is considered one of the best of his time. He was considered to be a tough leader and teacher and demanded as such a lot from his orchestras but through that style he reached a high level.
Elves' Hill is a comedy by Johan Ludvig Heiberg, with overture and incidental music by Friedrich Kuhlau, which is considered the first Danish national play.
Jannik Hastrup is a Danish writer, director, producer, illustrator and animator. He is considered "Denmark's grand master of animation", as he is particularly well known for directing, animating and writing several animated films, occasionally with Flemming Quist Møller, including Benny's Bathtub, Dreaming of Paradise, Samson & Sally, War of the Birds, The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Bear and A Tale of Two Mozzies. He also directed, wrote and animated a number of shorts following Cirkeline the elf.
Emil Hartmann was a Danish composer. His son Oluf Hartmann was a painter and his daughter Bodil Neergaard was a landowner and patron of the arts.
Niels Erling Emmanuel Brene was a Danish composer. He was born and died in Copenhagen. In 1948 he won a bronze medal in the art competitions of the Olympic Games for his orchestral composition Vigeur (Vigour).
Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller was a Danish composer and pianist. His compositional style was influenced by Danish folk music and by the work of Robert Schumann; Johannes Brahms; and his Danish countrymen, including J.P.E. Hartmann.
Christian Peder Wilhelm Geisler was a Danish organist and composer.
Frederik Rung was a Danish conductor and composer.
Musikforeningen in Copenhagen was Denmark's most important concert venue in the 19th century. It operated from 1838 to 1931 but it was especially under the leadership of Niels Gade (1850–90) that it became a meeting place for the city's music life with its own symphony orchestra and choir. Carl Nielsen was director from 1915–27. Other leaders included Franz Gläser, Emil Hartmann and Franz Neruda.
Josephine Amalie Zinck née Lund (1829–1919) was a Danish mezzo-soprano singer who performed in concerts at Copenhagen's Musikforeningen from the age of 18 and in operas at the Royal Danish Theatre from 1858.
