Løvenskjold, Herman Severin

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Løvenskjold, Herman Severin

Løvenskjold, Herman Severin, Norwegian organist and composer; b. Holdensjärnbruk, July 30, 1815; d. Copenhagen, Dec. 5, 1870. At the age of 13 his parents took him to Copenhagen, where he studied music and, in 1836, brought out his ballet Sylphiden with much success. After the premiere of his second ballet, Sara, in 1839, he went to Vienna, where he took some lessons with Seyfried. Returning to Denmark in 1851, he was appointed organist at the Slottskyrka in Christiansborg. He wrote an opera, Turandot (Copenhagen, Dec. 3, 1854), Fesoutvertϋre (for the coronation of Christian VIII), Ouverture de concert idyllique, the overture Fra Skoven ved Furese, Piano Trio, Piano Quartet, and piano pieces for 2- and 4-hands.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire