Herman D. Koppel

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Herman David Koppel (born October 1, 1908 in Copenhagen ; † July 14, 1998 there ) was a Danish pianist and composer.

The son of Polish-Jewish immigrants came to the Copenhagen Conservatory of Music at the age of 17 as a student of Rudolf Simonsen and Anders Rachlew . Here he also met Carl Nielsen , who promoted him primarily as a composer. He made his debut as a pianist in 1930 with Nielsen's theme and variations . In 1943 he fled to Sweden with his family and became a pianist of the Örebro Symfoniorkester . From 1949 he taught at the Copenhagen Conservatory, where he was professor of piano from 1955 to 1978.

In addition to Nielsen's piano works, Koppel's repertoire as a pianist also later included the compositions of Arnold Schoenberg , Hans Werner Henze , Pierre Boulez and Luigi Nono . He went on concert tours through the northern European states and the Soviet Union. As a composer he was largely self-taught. Through his friendship with Gunnar Heerup and Bernhard Christensen , he came into contact with the ideas of the New Objectivity in the 1930s and incorporated elements of jazz into his compositions.

In addition to numerous piano works, Koppel composed seven symphonies, four piano concertos, chamber music and the opera Macbeth , as well as theater and film scores. Along with Vagn Holmboe and Finn Høffding , he is considered to be the most important representative of the Danish composer generation after Carl Nielsen. His brother Julius Koppel became known as a violinist. His children also embarked on a musical career: Lone Koppel as a singer, Thomas and Anders Koppel as composers and musicians.

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personal data
SURNAME Koppel, Herman D.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Koppel, Herman David (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Danish pianist and composer
DATE OF BIRTH October 1, 1908
PLACE OF BIRTH Copenhagen
DATE OF DEATH July 14, 1998
Place of death Copenhagen