Bentzon, Jørgen

Bentzon, Jørgen, Danish composer, cousin of Niels Viggo Bentzon; b. Copenhagen, Feb. 14, 1897; d. Horsholm, July 9, 1951. He studied composition with Carl Nielsen (1915–18). At the same time, he took courses in jurisprudence; subsequently he was attached to the Ministry of Justice in Denmark, and served as clerk of records of the Danish Supreme Court. He also taught piano and theory at a People’s School of Music in Copenhagen. As a composer, he followed the Romantic trends current in Scandinavia; an influence of Nielsen pervades his music.

Works

Opera: Saturnalia (Copenhagen, Dec. 15, 1944). ORCH.: Dramatic Overture (1923); Variations on a Danish Folktune for Piano, Strings, and Percussion (1928); 3 chamber concertos: No. 1, Symphonic Trio, for 3 instrumental groups of Violins, Horns, and Cellos (1928–29), No. 2, Intermezzo Espressivo, for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon, Strings, and Percussion (1935), and No. 3, for Clarinet and Chamber Orch. (1941); Fotomontage, overture (1934); Variations for Chamber Orch. (1935); Cyklevise-Rhapsody (1936); Sinfonia seria for School Orch. (1937); Sinfonia buffa for School Orch. (1939); 2 syms.: No. 1, Dickens-Symphonie (1939–40) and No. 2 (1946–47); Sinfonietta for Strings (1943). CHAMBER: 5 string quartets (1921–28); String Trio (1921); Sonatina for Flute, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1924); Variazioni interrotti for Clarinet, Bassoon, and String Trio (1925); Duo for Violin and Cello (1927); Racconti 1–6 for 3 to 5 Instruments (1935–50). Piano: Variations (1921); Sonata (1946). VOCAL: En romersk Fortaelling (A Roman Tale), cantata for Soloists, Chorus, and Piano (1937); Mikrofoni No. 1 for Baritone, Flute, and Piano Trio (1937–39); songs; choruses.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire