Grondahl, Launy

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Grondahl, Launy

Grondahl, Launy, Danish conductor and composer; b. Ordrup, near Copenhagen, June 30, 1886; d. Copenhagen, Jan. 21, 1960. He studied violin with Anton Bloch and Axel Gade, and theory with Ludolf Nielsen; later took music courses in Paris, Italy, Vienna, and elsewhere. Returning to Denmark, he became president of the Soc. of Young Musicians. From 1925 he conducted the Danish Radio Sym. Orch., serving as its chief conductor from 1931 to 1956. Among his compositions were a Violin Concerto (1917), Sym. (1919), Trombone Concerto (1924), Bassoon Concerto (1943), 2 string quartets, Violin Sonata, numerous piano pieces, and songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire