Niels Viggo Bentzon

Short bio Niels Viggo Bentzon

Birthday: 1919 in Copenhagen, Denmark

Died: 2000

Active: 1950s - 1990s

Genre: Classical

Period: Modern

Full biography Niels Viggo Bentzon

Niels Viggo Bentzon was a Danish composer born in Copenhagen in 1919 and passed away in 2000. He was the son of a rector of Copenhagen University and a concert pianist. He started playing the piano at an early age and later studied music at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and with the composer and conductor Arthur Honegger in Paris. Bentzon was one of the most prolific Danish composers of the 20th century with over 600 opuses, encompassing a wide range of genres such as orchestral, chamber, vocal, and piano music.

Apart from composing, Bentzon was also active as a poet, painter, and music critic. He was known for his interest in twelve-tone music and published a book on the subject titled "Tolvtoneteknik". Bentzon was considered a highly gifted and multifaceted artist, admired for his technical prowess and imaginative tonal language.

Throughout his life, Bentzon received numerous awards, including the Carl Nielsen Prize, the Rosenkranz Prize, and the Sonning Prize. His music continues to be performed and recorded today, and he remains one of the most respected composers in Danish music history.

Compositions featuring Niels Viggo Bentzon

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Piano Sonata No. 29 ("Taiwanese"), Op. 627	15:07 min	Keyboard	1996
2	Quartet for clarinet, violin, viola & cello, Op. 566	3:43 min	Chamber Music	1993
3	Trio quattro, Op. 553	12:54 min	Chamber Music	1991
4	Choro Daniensis, for ensemble, Op. 548	8:09 min	Chamber Music	1990
5	Etudes (16) for cello solo, Op 464	21:48 min	Chamber Music	1985
6	Piano Sonata No. 18, Op. 459	15:19 min	Keyboard	1983
7	Piano Sonata No. 19, Op. 460/1	16:11 min	Keyboard	1983
8	Adagio for flute & organ, Op. 414	5:51 min	Chamber Music	1978
9	Variations on "The Volga Boatmen", for cello, Op. 354	22:22 min	Chamber Music	1977
10	Fett und Filz, for tuba & piano	6:49 min	Chamber Music	1977
11	Sonata for trombone & piano, Op. 277	10:49 min	Chamber Music	1971
12	Sextet for wind quintet & piano, Op. 278	18:37 min	Chamber Music	1971
13	Sonata for cello & piano No. 3, Op. 268	14:14 min	Chamber Music	1971
14	Piano Sonata ("Hoffman"), Op. 248	17:14 min	Keyboard	1969
15	Piano Sonata No. 9, Op. 194	14:09 min	Keyboard	1965
16	Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 136	28:04 min	Concerto	1961
17	Mobiles (5) for orchestra, Op 125	20:14 min	Keyboard	1960
18	In the Zoo, for accordion, Op. 164	7:56 min	Chamber Music	196?
19	Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 121	13:51 min	Keyboard	1959
20	Wind Quintet No. 5, Op. 116	16:35 min	Chamber Music	1958
21	Symphony No. 8, Op. 113 "Sinfonia Discrezione"	44:36 min	Symphony	1957
22	Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 106	20:44 min	Concerto	1956
23	Pezzi sinfonici, for orchestra, Op. 109	14:15 min	Orchestral	1956
24	Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 96	39:27 min	Keyboard	1954
25	Trio for trumpet, horn & trombone, Op. 82	13:47 min	Chamber Music	1952
26	Symphonic Variations, for orchestra, Op. 92	18:19 min	Orchestral	1952
27	Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 77	23:34 min	Keyboard	1951
28	Woodcuts, for piano, Op. 65	17:54 min	Keyboard	1951
29	Sonata for trumpet & piano, Op. 73	11:56 min	Chamber Music	1951
30	Sonata for cor anglais & piano, Op. 71	10:34 min	Chamber Music	1951
31	Mosaïque Musicale, for flute & piano trio, Op. 54	12:36 min	Chamber Music	1950
32	Sonata for clarinet & piano, Op. 68	16:51 min	Chamber Music	1950
33	Chamber Concerto for 11 instruments, Op. 52	16:41 min	Chamber Music	1948
34	Symphony No. 3, Op 46	36:23 min	Symphony	1947
35	Sonata for cello & piano, Op. 43	24:13 min	Chamber Music	1947
36	Sonata for horn & piano, Op. 47	15:17 min	Chamber Music	1947
37	Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 44	17:23 min	Keyboard	1946
38	Pieces (2) for oboe & piano, Op. 41	8:48 min	Chamber Music	1946
39	Partita for piano, Op. 38	18:18 min	Keyboard	1945
40	Toccata for piano, Op. 10	7:22 min	Keyboard	1941
41	Symphony No. 7, Op. 83 ("De tre versioner")	28:53 min	Symphony	-
42	Piano Sonata No. 20, Op. 460/2	14:53 min	Keyboard	-
43	Duo Konzertante, Op 531		Chamber Music	-
44	Emancipato for alto saxophone & piano, Op 471	9:28 min	Chamber Music	-
45	Fragments (26), improvisation for solo piano	16:48 min	Keyboard	-
46	Johannes Forføreren (Johann the Seducer), for reciter, chorus, flute, cello & piano, Op. 564	10:25 min	Choral	-
47	Sonata for soprano saxophone & piano, Op. 478	13:55 min	Chamber Music	-
48	Symphony No. 5, Op. 61 ("Ellipser")	36:18 min	Symphony	-
49	Symphony No. 4, Op 55	32:08 min	Symphony	-
50	Small Pieces (7) for piano, Op. 3	4:11 min	Keyboard	-
51	Symphonic Variations, for prepared piano	40:52 min	Keyboard	-
52	Sonata for 2 pianos	22:33 min	Keyboard	-
53	Sonatina for alto saxophone & piano, Op 498	6:34 min	Chamber Music	-
54	Sonata for alto saxophone & piano, Op. 320	8:53 min	Chamber Music	-
55	Kronik Om Renè Descartes, Op 357	28:26 min	Orchestral	-

Albums featuring Niels Viggo Bentzon

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Niels Viggo Bentzon Plays Bentzon, Scriabin A.O.(2×CD, Compilation, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, Mono)	2019	Danacord
2	J.P.E. Hartmann / Jørgen Bentzon / Niels Viggo Bentzon - Bent Larsen, Sverre Larsen – Sonata For Flute & Piano(CD, Album)	2010	Classico
3	Chamber Music For Brass Instruments(CD, Album)	2007	Classico
4	Ole Schmidt - Niels Viggo Bentzon - Mist Thorkelsdóttir - Erik Norby - John Von Daler, The Copenhagen Chamber Ensemble – Chamber Quintet & Chamber Works(CD, Album)	2007	Classico
5	Bentzon Plays Bentzon & Schoenberg - Recordings 1942-51(CD, Compilation)	2006	Classico
6	Herman D. Koppel, Karl Aage Rasmussen, Niels Viggo Bentzon, Poul Rovsing Olsen, Bent Lorentzen - Jalina Trio – Kaleidoscope: Piano Trios(CD, Album)	2005	Dacapo (4)
7	Niels Viggo Bentzon / Gothenburg-Aarhus Philharmonic, Douglas Bostock – Symphony 8 & Symphonic Variations(CD, Album)	2005	Classico
8	Niels Viggo Bentzon : Niels Ullner / Rosalind Bevan – Works For Cello And Piano(CD, Album)	2004	Dacapo (4)
9	Herman D. Koppel, Niels Viggo Bentzon, Nikolaj Bentzon, Wind Quintet Of The DNSO – Chamber Music(CD, )	2002	Dacapo (4)
10	Gail Williams, Mary Ann Covert, Ludwig van Beethoven, Jan Koetsier, Niels Viggo Bentzon, Jean-Michel Damase, Marcel Bitsch, Dana Wilson – Deep Remembering(CD, Album)	2001	Summit Records (3)
11	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Anker Blyme – Toccata - Partita - Woodcut - Caleidoscope(CD, Album)	2000	Danacord
12	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Anker Blyme, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Ole Schmidt – Piano Concerto No. 4 / Five Mobiles(CD, Compilation)	1999	Dacapo (4)
13	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Egil Harder, Folmer Jensen – Three Great Danish Pioneer Pianists(2×CD, Compilation)	1999	Danacord
14	Organisazione Populare(CD, Album)	1999	Danacord
15	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Ole Schmidt – Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7(CD, Album)	1999	Dacapo (4)
16	Alfredo Piatti, Niels Viggo Bentzon, Erling Bløndal Bengtsson – 12 Caprices : 16 Etudes(CD, Album)	1997	Danacord
17	Taiwanese Sonata(CD, Album)	1996	Classico
18	Solo Piano Improvisations(CD, Album)	1996	AV-ART
19	Carl Nielsen • Niels Viggo Bentzon • Otto Mortensen • Vagn Holmboe • Per Nørgård — Max Artved, Per Salo – Oboe And Piano(CD, )	1996	Marco Polo
20	Szymanowski, N.V. Bentzon, Shostakovich, Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra, Okko Kamu – Second Symphony : Pezzi Sinfonici : Two Pieces From The Ballet "Bolt"	1996	Classico
21	Copenhagen Suites I-IV(CD, Album)	1994	Classico
22	John Kruse (2), Bentzon, Koppel, Ruders, Sørensen – Contemporary Danish Works For Clarinet(CD, Album)	1993	Paula
23	Niels Viggo Bentzon / Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Ole Schmidt – Symphonies 3 & 4	1993	Marco Polo
24	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Per Salo – Works For Piano(CD, )	1992	Kontrapunkt
25	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Per Egholm – Sonatas For Saxophone And Piano(CD, Album)	1989	Kontrapunkt
26	Københavns Messingblæserkvintet, Holmboe, Bentzon, Ramsöe – Holmboe, Bentzon, Ramsöe(LP)	1987	KMK Records (2)
27	Walter Piston, David Van Vactor, Niels Viggo Bentzon – Serenata, Fantasia Chaconne And Allegro, Pezzi Sinfonici(LP, Mono)	1985	The Louisville Orchestra First Edition Records
28	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Aarhus Symfoniorkester, Ole Schmidt – Symfoni Nr.4, Opus 55 / Fem Mobiler, Opus 125(LP, Album, Stereo)	1984	Philips
29	Niels Viggo Bentzon / Reger, Scriabin, Bentzon – Piano(LP, Album, Stereo)	1984	Danacord
30	Værker For 2 Klaverer • Koncert For Fløjte Og Orkester • Quartetto For 4 Fløjter	1982	Philips
31	Koncert For Klaver Og Orkester Nr. 4, Opus 96	1982	Philips
32	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Aarhus By-Orkester, Ole Schmidt – Symfonier I Nr. 3., / Nr. 5., / Nr. 7	1982	Philips
33	Niels Viggo Bentzon / Henrik Colding-Jørgensen, The Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ole Schmidt – Contemporary Danish Music For Orchestra Volume Two (Feature On René Descartes / To Love Music)(LP, Album)	1977	BIS
34	Rosenberg / Bentzon, Köpenhamns Stråkkvartett – Rosenberg / Bentzon(LP, Album, Stereo)	1977	Caprice Records
35	Klaversonate nr. 4, opus 57 & nr. 5, opus 77(LP, Album, Stereo, Mono)	1970	FONA
36	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Povl Rovsing Olsen, Svend Westergaard, Peder Holm, Den Danske Kvartet – Strygekvartet Nr. 6, Opus 124 / Strygekvartet Nr. 2, Opus 62 / Strygekvartet Opus 28 / Strygekvartet(LP)	1970	FONA
37	Niels Viggo Bentzon Med The Maxwells – Memories Of Lorca(7", 45 RPM, Mono)	1968	Philips
38	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Det Kongelige Kapel, Jerzy Semkow – Kommerkoncert For 11 Instrumenter, Opus 52 / Symfoniske Variationer, Opus 92	1968	FONA
39	Niels Viggo Bentzon Featuring The Contemporary Jazz Quartet – Third Stream Music	1965	FONA
40	Charley Olsen, Franz Syberg, Niels Viggo Bentzon – Præludium, Intermezzo, Fugato For Orgel / Variationer For Orgel, Op 103(LP, Stereo)	1965	FONA
41	Arnold Schönberg, Niels Viggo Bentzon – Sechs Kleine Klavierstücke, Op. 19(Shellac, 10", 78 RPM)	1949	His Master's Voice
42	Hans Vogt (3), Isang Yun, Erhan Sanri, H.I. Franz Biber, Niels Viggo Bentzon - Helge Slaatto, Frank Reinecke – Together. Duos Für Violine Und Kontrabaß(CD, )	-	ambitus
43	Det Tempererede Klaver 1(LP)	-	FONA
44	Det Tempererede Klaver 2(LP)	-	FONA
45	Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, Ingolf Gabold, Vagn Holmboe, Niels Viggo Bentzon, Studenter-sangforeningen, Tivolis Koncertsals Orkester Dirigenter: Eifred Eckart-Hansen, Tamás Vetö – Vølvens Spådom / Your Sister's Drown'd / 3 Inuit-sange / Sagn(LP)	-	FONA
46	Niels Viggo Bentzon, Henrik Colding-Jørgensen, Erik Norby, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Conducted By John Frandsen And Ole Schmidt – Contemporary Danish Music For Orchestra Volume 1(CD, Stereo)	-	BIS

Videos featuring Niels Viggo Bentzon

Hugh Steinmetz and Niels Viggo Bentzon duo 1965

Hugh Steinmetz and Niels Viggo Bentzon duo 1965 "In The Old Candy Store".

Niels Viggo Bentzon plays his Toccata (1948)

Niels Viggo Bentzon: Toccata, Op. 10 (1941)

Niels Viggo Bentzon, piano

Recorded November 26, 1948, in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Gramophone Company 78-rpm matrices 2CS 2584 and 2CS 2585. Issued in the HMV Plum Label Scandinavian series as Z 276, replacing