Hans Christian Lumbye
Encyclopedia
Hans Christian Lumbye was a Danish composer of waltz
es, polka
s, mazurkas and galop
s, among other things.
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". From 1843 to 1872, he served as the music director and in-house composer for Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen
. Such was his popularity in the Danish capital that many Danes revered him and considered Johann Strauss II
as the "Lumbye of the South".
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 was the father of two musician sons, Carl Christian (July 9, 1841 - August 10, 1911) and Georg August (August 26, 1843 - 1922), who took over his orchestra after his father's death. His grandson Georg Høeberg
was an important Danish conductor at Det kongelige Teater.
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
es, polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
s, mazurkas and galop
Galop
In dance, the galop, named after the fastest running gait of a horse , a shortened version of the original term galoppade, is a lively country dance, introduced in the late 1820s to Parisian society by the Duchesse de Berry and popular in Vienna, Berlin and London...
s, among other things.
As a child, he studied music in Randers
Randers
Randers is a city in Randers municipality on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. It is Denmark's sixth-largest city, with a population of 60,656 . Randers city is the main town of the municipality and the site of its municipal council.-Overview:Randers municipality has 94,750 inhabitants...
and Odense
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
, and by age 14 he was playing the trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
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
Johann Strauss I
Johann Strauss I , born in Vienna, was an Austrian Romantic composer famous for his waltzes, and for popularizing them alongside Joseph Lanner, thereby setting the foundations for his sons to carry on his musical dynasty...
, after which he composed in the style of Strauss, eventually earning the nickname "The Strauss of the North". From 1843 to 1872, he served as the music director and in-house composer for Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen
Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen
Tivoli Gardens is a famous amusement park and pleasure garden in Copenhagen, Denmark. The park opened on 15 August 1843 and is the second oldest amusement park in the world, after Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klampenborg....
. Such was his popularity in the Danish capital that many Danes revered him and considered Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
as the "Lumbye of the South".
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 was the father of two musician sons, Carl Christian (July 9, 1841 - August 10, 1911) and Georg August (August 26, 1843 - 1922), who took over his orchestra after his father's death. His grandson Georg Høeberg
Georg Høeberg
Georg Høeberg was a Danish composer and conductor. His 1933 performance of Carl Nielsen's Fifth Symphony is thought to be the earliest surviving recorded performance of any Nielsen symphony. His grandfather was the Danish composer and conductor at Tivoli Gardens, Hans Christian Lumbye.-External...
was an important Danish conductor at Det kongelige Teater.