The first son of a Polish-Jewish immigrant, the Danish composer and pianist Herman Koppel was born in Copenhagen. He studied music there, and had encouragement from Carl Nielsen, whose piano music he performed. He spent time in Berlin and Paris and was active in chamber music with his brother Julius, a founder of the quartet that bore his name, and his violinist sister-in-law. During the German occupation Koppel took refuge in Sweden, returning home in 1945 to resume a distinguished and musically varied career.

Music

Koppel wrote one opera, Macbeth, choral works on biblical texts, songs, and a quantity of chamber music. His orchestral works include seven symphonies and a number of concertos for various instruments, including four piano concertos.