August Winding (24 March 183516 June 1899) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

pianist, teacher and composer.

Life

Early life and education

August Henrik Winding was born in

Tårs Tårs is a Danish town with a population of 1,873 (1 January 2022)Sandby Sandby is a village located some northwest of Nakskov on the Danish island of Lolland. It belongs to Lolland Municipality in Region Sjælland. As of 2022, it has a population of 345. History Sandby has a history going back to the 13th century. ...

on the island of

Lolland Lolland (; formerly spelled ''Laaland'', literally "low land") is the fourth largest island of Denmark, with an area of . Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of Region Sjælland (Region Zealand). As of 1 January 2022, it has 57,618 inhabitant ...

.Edition Silvertrust
/ref> His father was a clergyman who collected and arranged Danish folk songs, and also an excellent pianist who became his son's first music teacher. August’s three brothers were equally highly musical, most of all his brother Peter Buonaventura who, despite his early death at the age of 16, had some of his works published. In 1847, August’s parents sent the 12 year old to Copenhagen for musical education. He stayed there at the house of J.P.E. Hartmann and was given piano lessons by Carl Reinecke until the latter’s departure for Paris in 1848, and then by Anton Rée (1820-1886), who had been an acquaintance of

Frédéric Chopin Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leadin ...

. He also was taught theory and composition by

Niels Gade Niels Wilhelm Gade (22 February 1817 – 21 December 1890) was a Danish composer, conductor, violinist, organist and teacher. Together with Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, he was the leading Danish musician of his day. Biography Gade was born ...

.Bach Cantatas
/ref>Romantic Discoveries Recordings
/ref> In 1856 he went to

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

for further studies, and then had lessons with Alexander Dreyschock in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

. who called him «''the best of his pupils hitherto''».

Pianist

His public career was originally as a pianist; he became rapidly the leading pianist of his days in Denmark, but also played in many countries of Europe, specialising in

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

and

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

. His "calling card" was Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto. In 1864 he married J. P. E. Hartmann's daughter Clara (

married another daughter). In 1867 he became a teacher at the Royal Danish Conservatory in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

and also privately. August Winding was one of Edvard Grieg's closest friends.

Arm injury and career as a composer

In 1867 he injured his arm through overwork, which forced his retirement as a performer but also enabled him to devote himself to composing. In 1881, he resumed his pedagogical activity at the conservatorium. Between 1888 and his death he gave some further concerts.

Death and legacy

August Winding died in 1899 in

, aged 64. He is buried in Søllerød graveyard. He was survived by a daughter, Ingeborg Winding (1871-1908), a painter and the mother of architects and designers Mogens and

Flemming Lassen Flemming Lassen (23 February 1902 – 18 February 1984) was a Modernist architecture, Modernist Denmark, Danish architect and designer, working within the idiom of the International style (architecture), International Style. Among his most notable ...

, and a son, Poul Andreas Winding (1877-1966), a violinist.

Style and legacy

His music was for many years virtually forgotten, apart from some hymn tunes, but attention is now being paid to his major works.

Compositions

* Orchestral ** ''Nordic Overture'', Op. 7 (1864) **''Concert Overture'' (published in 1885), Op. 14 ** Symphony in C minor, Op. 39, dedicated to

Emil Hartmann Emil Hartmann (1 February 1836, Denmark – 18 July 1898, Copenhagen, Denmark) was a Danish composer of the romantic period, fourth generation of composers in the Danish Hartmann musical family. Early life and education Hartmann was born o ...

**Symphony (1858-59) ** Ballet ''Fjeldstuen'' (''The Mountain Hut, or Twenty Years''; 1859; co-written with his brother-in law

). Winding wrote the first part, and among others: *** "''Sæterpigernes Dands om det nydødbte Barn''" *** "''Huldredands''" *** "''Springdands''" * Concertante ** Violin Concerto in A major, Op. 11 (created by Wilhelmine Neruda on 2 March 1867 in Copenhagen) **Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 ** Concert Allegro in C minor, Op. 29, for piano and orchestra * Chamber works ** First Sonata for violin and piano, in g minor, Op. 5 (dedicated to Wilhelmine Neruda) **Sonata for cello and piano, Op. 10 (1854, manuscript, dedicated to J.P.E. Hartmann) **Piano Quartet in D major, Op. 17 (created at the

Gewandhaus Gewandhaus is a concert hall in Leipzig, the home of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Today's hall is the third to bear this name; like the second, it is noted for its fine acoustics. History The first Gewandhaus (''Altes Gewandhaus'') The f ...

'' in

) ** Three Fantasy Pieces, Op. 19, for clarinet or violin and piano (1872) ** String Quintet in D, Op. 23 (2 violins, 2 violas, cello) ** Second Sonata for violin and piano, Op. 35 **''Elegi'' for violin (or Oboe) and piano, Op. 41 **''Aftenstemning'' for violin and organ or piano, Op. 47 b **''Miniature Suite'' for violin and piano **''Three Canzonettas'' for violin and piano * Piano pieces ** ''Three Fantasy Pieces, Op. 1'' **''Reisebilder'' (Eight pieces), Op. 3 **''Four Pieces'' (''Festmarsch, Intermezzo, Scherzo, Romance''), Op. 6 **''Landlige Scener'': Skizzer for Piano (Seven Pieces), Op. 9 ** ''Studier og Stemninger'' (Six Pieces)'', Op. 10'' **''Allegro, Romance, Finale,'' Op. 13 **''Genrebilleder'' (Twelve Pieces dedicated to

Franz Neruda Franz Xaver Neruda (or František) (3 December 1843 – 19 March 1915) was a Czech-Danish cellist and composer of Moravian origin. Life Franz Xaver Neruda was born in Brno into a musical family. He was the fifth child of the organist of Brno ...

), ''Op. 15'' **''Ten Pieces in Etudeform'', Op. 18 **''Aus der Ferienzei''t (''Sommerminder'', Seven Pieces for Piano), Op. 22 **''Five Pieces in Etudeform'', Op. 24 **''Tonebilleder (Four Pieces''), Op. 25 ** ''Preludes in all the Keys'', Op. 26 (Dedicated to

Isidor Seiss Isidor Wilhelm Seiss (23 December 184025 September 1905) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, piano pedagogue and philanthropist. His surname also appears as Seiß, and his first name also appears as Isidore. Biography Isidor Wilhelm Seiss ...

): *** 1. in C major: ''Poco Adagio, maestoso e con nobilità'' *** 2. in A minor: ''Allegro agitato ed affetuoso'' *** 3. in F major: ''Comodo'' *** 4. in D minor: ''Allegro risoluto e energico'' *** 5. in B major: ''Allegro non troppo. Giocoso, con allegrezza'' *** 6. in G minor: ''Moderato con fierezza'' *** 7. in E major: ''Andante innocente e tenero'' *** 8. in C minor: ''Presto impetuoso'' *** 9. in A major: ''Allegro non troppo con dolcezza'' *** 10. in F minor: ''Allegro moderato, poco agitato'' *** 11. in D major: ''Con moto. Soave e con grazia'' *** 12. in B minor: ''Andantino quasi Allegretto, Grave e mesto'' *** 13. in G major: ''Allegro vivace con calore e molt’ animato'' *** 14. in E minor: ''Presto furioso e con strepito'' *** 15. in B major: ''Allegretto tranquillo e dolce'' *** 16. in G minor: ''Allegretto dolente e malinconico'' *** 17. in E major: ''Moderato grazioso e con tenerezza'' *** 18. in C minor: ''Allegro energico e molt’ appassionato'' *** 19. in A major: ''Allegretto dolce e piacevole'' *** 20. in F minor: ''Andantino con duolo'' *** 21. in D major: ''Allegro con vivacità ed anima'' *** 22. in B minor: ''Adagio grave e lugubre'' *** 23. in G major: ''Allegro molto con gran vivacità'' *** ''24. in E minor:'' ''Andante sostenuto, quasi una fantasia'' *** 25. Postludium in C major: ''Poco Adagio, maestoso e con nobilità.'' **''Three Pieces for the left hand'' (''Capriccio, Canzonetta, Finale''), Op 27 **''Kontraster'' (Thirteen Pieces), Op. 28 **''Sange ved Klaveret'', Op. 30 (Four Pieces, ''Im Winter, Im Mai, Herbstlied, Sommergruss,'' dedicated to Theodor Kirchner) **''Four'' ''Etudes'', Op. 31 **''Fra Unge Dage, Dandse, Marscher og Karakterstykker'', for piano four hands, Op. 32, dedicated to Christian Barnekow **''Albumsblade'' (Three Pieces, dedicated to Bodil Neergaard, née Hartmann), Op. 33 **''Three Pieces (Toccata, Notturno, Etude''), Op. 34 **''Four'' ''Etudes'', Op 36 **''Idyller og Legender,'' for piano, Op. 37 **''Danserytmer i forskellig Stil (Nordisk Folkedans, Ländler, Valse, Giga''), Op. 38 **''Minore e Maggiore'' (Six Pieces dedicated to Godfred Matthison- Hansen), Op. 40 **''Toccata,'' Op 43 **''Aus de Ersten Heimat'', Op. 44 **''Aus Nah und Fern (Nine pieces)'', Op. 45 **''Albumblätter'', Op 46 **''Aftenstemning'', Op. 47 b **''Klaverstykker i Etudeform'', Op. 48 **''Eight Studies'', Op. 51 **''Aus der Kinderwelt'', Fourteen little pieces for small hands, Op. 51 **''Four Studies'', Op. 60 **''Humoreske (Den Vægelsindede'') **XXV ''Danske Folkeviser'' for Piano four hands ** Cadenza for Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major **Cadenza for Mozart's Piano Concerto No 23 in a major **Cadenza for Mozart's Piano Concerto No 26 in d major ** Cadenza for Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor ** Transcription of ten

chorale prelude In music, a chorale prelude or chorale setting is a short liturgical composition for organ using a chorale tune as its basis. It was a predominant style of the German Baroque era and reached its culmination in the works of J.S. Bach, who wrote 46 ...

s by

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

** Piano reduction of

's cantata ''Baldurs drøm''IMSLP
/ref> * Songs, Romances, Lieder and Hymns (among others Songs for one voice and piano Op. 2, Op. 3, Op. 4, Op. 8, Op.14, Op. 47 a, and Op. 50, and Songs for Choir and Orchestra, Op. 12) *Various other pieces for piano (two and four hands) (''Frühlingsstimmung, Albumsblatt in E minor, Sonate facile et instructive, Valse-Impromptu, Ellen-Vals, Valse caractéristique, Romance et Valse mélancolique, Allegro non troppo'')

References

External links

*
August Winding
at geni.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Winding, August 1835 births 1899 deaths Male composers Danish classical pianists Danish music educators Piano pedagogues University of Music and Theatre Leipzig alumni 19th-century Danish people 19th-century Danish composers People from Lolland Municipality Pupils of Carl Reinecke Royal Danish Academy of Music faculty 19th-century classical pianists Male classical pianists 19th-century male musicians