Hans Christian Lumbye

Short biography Hans Christian Lumbye was born on 2 May 1810 in Copenhagen, where he also died on 20 March 1874. He grew up in Denmark and received his musical training primarily as a self-taught musician and through practical experience as a military bandsman. From 1839 he served as conductor at Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens, the pleasure park that had just opened at the time, retaining this post until 1872. In this capacity he became a central figure in Danish musical life of the mid-Romantic period.

Historical placement Lumbye belongs to the Romantic era and is stylistically closely associated with the Viennese waltz and the light orchestral dance music of his day. His output was strongly orientated towards Johann Strauss the Elder and Joseph Lanner, yet transposed that style into a Scandinavian context. Known as the "Strauss of the North", he made a decisive contribution to the establishment and popularisation of dance music and salon music in Denmark.

Personal connections Johann Strauss the Elder maintained a collegial relationship with Lumbye; the two held each other in mutual admiration, and Lumbye drew clearly on his work as a stylistic model. Lumbye's son Georg Christian Lumbye (1843–1922) also worked as a composer and conductor, carrying on his father's musical legacy.

Important works
Traumbilder (Drömmebilder), Galop – orchestra (1846)
Champagner-Galopp (Champagnegaloppen) – orchestra (1845)
Kopenhagener Dampfeisenbahnsgalopp (Kjøbenhavns Jernbane-Damp-Galopp) – orchestra (1847)
Salute to August Bournonville – orchestra (opus number unverified)
Napoli-Galopp – orchestra (1853)