Bendix, Victor

Victor Bendix – Piano Concerto in G minor, Op.17

(b. Copenhagen, 17 May 1851 – d. Copenhagen, 5 January 1926)

Allegro Moderato p.1
Intermezzo p.72
Finale p.105

Preface
Victor Bendix was the mentor of Carl Nielsen, a highly respected figure in Danish musical life and yet highly controversial. His symphonies were performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, and women adored the exceptional musician. An affair with one of his piano students even led to one of the bitter ones attempting murder. Musically, he was as radical in the beginning as he was conservative later. In short: Victor Bendix was a person with many facets.

Music played an important role in Victor Bendix’s birthplace. His father Emanuel Bendix was an educated merchant with a passion for music, and so Victor grew up in a thoroughly intellectual milieu. His musical talent was discovered and encouraged early on, so that he created his first major composition at the age of 13, a quartet for oboe, flute, cello and piano. However, this was only the beginning. On 6 November 1866, the 15-year-old received a letter informing him that he had been accepted at “Gade’s Conservatory”. As the name suggests, the newly founded institute was headed by none other than Niels Wilhelm Gade, one of the founding fathers of Danish music. In 1902, the initially small school was renamed Royal Danish Conservatory of Music and still exists in this form today. Bendix was a pupil of the first class, and he was taught by the greatest musicians of his country, the crème de la crème. He received lessons in composition from Gade, J.P.E. Hartmann taught counterpoint, Valdemar Tofte violin, the composer Carl Helsted gave singing lessons, Gottfred Matthison-Hansen led the organ class and August Winding taught young Bendix to play the piano. …

Full preface / Komplettes Vorwort > HERE