Horneman, Christian (EN)

Horneman Christian Frederik Emil, *17 December 1840 Copenhagen, †8 June 1906 Copenhagen, Danish composer, conductor and teacher. His father was Emil Horneman (1809–1870), a composer, bookseller and music publisher. It was from him that the young Christian learnt music, and subsequently, between 1858 and 1860, he studied alongside E. Grieg at the Leipzig Conservatoire under E. Richter, I. Moscheles and M. Hauptmann. The friendship with Grieg, formed during his studies, lasted a lifetime. On his return to Copenhagen, Horneman set up a music shop with his father and composed dance music under his own name and pseudonyms to earn a living. At that time, he began work on his most important work, the opera Aladdin, which he did not complete until 1888. In 1865, together with other young composers – Grieg, R. Nordraak, G. Matthison-Hansen and L. Hornbeck – he founded the Euterpe Society, of which he became the conductor. Its aim was to promote and perform new Scandinavian music. After the society was dissolved in 1867, Horneman went abroad, travelling to Leipzig, among other places, where he conducted his overture to the opera *Aladdin* at a Gewandhaus concert. He then returned to Copenhagen and organised concerts at the Casinosalen, which, however, were discontinued after a single season. In 1872 he sold his bookshop and in 1874, together with O. Malling, founded the Koncertforeningen, whose concerts they conducted in turn until 1879, after which Horneman devoted himself exclusively to composition and teaching. That same year, he organised a music teaching course, which was transformed in 1880 into the Horneman Music Institute, where both amateurs and professional musicians were taught. Horneman was the director of this institute and taught piano there. In 1888, he was appointed titular professor at the University of Copenhagen.

During his lifetime, Horneman was not recognised as a composer in Denmark. His opera Aladdin, his magnum opus, received a very cool reception; it was only after a revival in 1902 that it began to attract interest. It is now regarded as one of the most important Danish operas of the 19th century, and the overture to this work is among Horneman’s most popular compositions. Kantate ved Universitets Mindefest for Christian IX also gained popularity; its finale, “Vort Hjem, du danske Jord” (Our Home, O Danish Land), became the Danish national anthem. Horneman made use of old Danish folk melodies and folk dance rhythms in his works. However, his work does not have such a distinctly national character as that of other composers, such as J.P.E. Hartmann. Stylistically, it remains influenced by German music, primarily Schumann, as well as Brahms. Horneman’s works were published in Copenhagen; some remain in manuscript form at the Det Kongelige Biblioteket in Copenhagen.

Literature: K.A. Bruun Dansk musiks historie, vol. 2, Copenhagen 1969.