Hans Christian Lumbye
Hans Christian Lumbye (Danish pronunciation: [lɔmˈpyː]; 2 May 1810 – 20 March 1874)[1] was a Danish composer of waltzes, polkas, mazurkas and galops, among other things.[2]
Beginnings
[edit]As a child, he studied music in Randers and Odense, and by age 14 he was playing the trumpet in a military band. In 1829, he joined the Horse Guards in Copenhagen, still continuing his music education. In 1839, he heard a Viennese orchestra play music by Johann Strauss I, after which he composed in the style of Strauss, eventually earning the nickname "The Strauss of the North".[3][4]
Career
[edit]From 1843 to 1872, he served as the music director and in-house composer for Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen.[5] Such was his popularity in the Danish capital that many Danes revered him and considered Johann Strauss II as the "Lumbye of the South".
Works
[edit]Lumbye is best known for his light compositions, many of which evoke non-musical sources. The Champagne Galop, for example, begins with the "pop" of a champagne cork, and the Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop faithfully recreates the sounds of a train chugging out of a station and grinding to a halt at the next stop. He honored the Swedish Nightingale with a "Souvenir de Jenny Lind, Vals" from 1845.
Galops
[edit]- Jubel-Galop (1840(1844)
- Juliane Galop (1843-1844)
- Telegraph Galop (1844)
- Castilianer-Galop (1847)
- Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop (1847)
- Capriccio Galop (1851)
- Juleballet (1855)
- Champagne Galop (1865)
- Cirque de Loisset Galop (1862)
- Bouquet-Royal Galop (1870)
- Kanon Galop (1853)
March music
[edit]- Marche du Nord (1856-1857)
- Kronings Marsch (1860)
- Kong Frederik den Syvendes Honneur-Marsch (1861)
- Kong Christian D. 9des Honneur March (1864)
- Kong Carl d. XVdes Honneur March (1869)
- Kong Georg den 1stes Honneur Marsch (1873)
Polkas
[edit]- Caroline Polka (1843)
- Casino-Polka (1846)
- Amager-Polka (1849)
- Camilla Polka (1863)
- Otto Allins Tromme-Polka (1863/1864)
- Petersborgerinden
Valses
[edit]- Krolls Ballklänge
- Amelie-Vals
- Casino Vals (1847)
- Catharina Vals (1857)
- Til den lille Prinds Christian Carl, Vals (1871)
- Dagmar Vals (1865)
- Erinnerung an Wien, Vals (1845)
Personal life
[edit]He was the father of two musician sons, Carl Christian (9 July 1841 - 10 August 1911) and Georg August (26 August 1843 - 1922), who took over his orchestra after his father's death.[6] His grandson Georg Høeberg was an important Danish conductor at Det kongelige Teater.
References
[edit]- ^ Constance Green; David Mason Greene (1985). Greene's biographical encyclopedia of composers. Doubleday. p. 571. ISBN 9780385142786.
- ^ The Johann Struss Society of Great Britain
- ^ AllMusic
- ^ Minor Ballet Composers: Biographical Sketches of Sixty-six Underappreciated Yet Significant Contributors to the Body of Western Ballet Music by Bruce R. Schueneman - Google Books pg.58
- ^ Naxos Classical Music
- ^ ArkivMusic
External links
[edit]- Works by or about Hans Christian Lumbye at the Internet Archive
- The Danish Royal Library archive of Lumbye's works Archived 2007-06-07 at the Wayback Machine
- The Lumbye Society
- Source about the Bouquet Royal Galop
- Source about the Queen Louise Waltz
