Bentzon Jørgen Liebenberg, *14 February 1897 Copenhagen, †9 July 1951 Hørsholm, cousin of flutists Johan Svend Bentzon and Niels Viggo Bentzon, Danish composer, lawyer by education. He studied composition under C. Nielsen (1915–17) and at the Leipzig Conservatory under S. Karg-Elert (1920–21). In 1927–30, he was chairman of the Danish section of the International Society for Contemporary Music, and in 1934–36, vice-chairman of the Association of Danish Musicians. In 1931, together with N.F. Høffding, he founded a music school in Copenhagen with the aim of popularizing music, especially contemporary; he directed it until 1946. He also published articles on music and current issues in musical life.
Bentzon belongs to the first generation of Danish composers representing an anti-Romantic attitude. He was strongly influenced by C. Nielsen and Hindemith, especially in his earlier works. Chamber music occupies an important place in his oeuvre. In them, he used a specific polyphonic technique, devoid of imitation, consisting in combining melodic lines that are different in terms of expression, each of which is strictly dependent on the textural properties of the instrument performing it. Examples of this type of technique are Racconti, one of the composer’s most interesting works. Bentzon is characterized by his interest in the structure of a work, striving to maintain classical balance while introducing lyrical features. An important aspect for him was establishing contact between the composer and the audience. He tried to achieve this by abandoning the latest achievements in musical language and simplifying his style. These popularizing tendencies were particularly evident in his later works, such as the Symphony No. 1, the opera Saturnalia, and numerous choral compositions.
Literature: Mindeskrift over Jørgen Bentzon (‘memories of Jorgen Bentzon’), Copenhagen 1957.
Instrumental:
orchestral:
Dramatisk ouverture Op. 5, 1923
Folkevisevariationer (‘variations of folk melodies’) Op. 17 for school orchestra, 1928
Symphonic trio Op. 18 for three instrumental groups, 1929
Photomontage Op. 27, overture, 1934
Intermezzo espressivo Op. 29 for orchestra, 1935
Variations Op. 28 for small orchestra, 1935
Sinfonia seria Op. 33 for school orchestra, 1937
Sinfonia buffa Op. 35 for school orchestra, 1939
Symphony No. 1 (after Dickens’s Pickwick Papers) Op. 37, 1940
Clarinet concerto Op. 39, 1941
Sinfonietta Op. 41 for string orchestra, 1941
Symphony without opus number, 1947
chamber:
Trio Op. 2 for strong instruments, 1921
String quartet No. 1 Op. 3, 1922
String quartet No. 2 Op. 6, 1924
Trio Op. 7 for brass instruments, 1924
String quartet No. 3 Op. 8, 1925
String quartet No. 4 Op. 11, 1925
Sonata without opus number for bassoon, violin, and viola, 1926
Duo Op. 16 for violin and cello, 1927
String quartet No. 5 Op. 15, 1928
Intermezzo Op. 24 for violin and clarinet, 1933
Racconti, 6 chamber works for various instrumental combinations:
No. 1 Op. 25, 1935
No. 2 Op. 30, 1936
No. 3 Op. 31, 1937
No. 4 Op. 45, 1944
No. 5 Op. 46, 1945
No. 6 Op. 49, 1950
for solo instrument:
Variationer over et tema af Chopin Op. 1, 1921
Piano Sonata Op. 43, 1946
solo works for viola, English horn, clarinet, and bassoon
Vocal and vocal-instrumental:
En romersk Fortælling (‘A Roman Tale’) Op. 32 for solo voice and chamber choir, 1937
Mikrofoni no. 1 Op. 44 for voice and chamber ensemble, 1939
songs with piano accompaniment
choral works
Stage:
Saturnalia, opera, libretto after Apuleius, 1944
