Otto Malling

1848-1915

Born in Copenhagen Otto rapidly proved his skill as a pianist under tutelage of first Niels Gade and later Johan Hartmann.

By 1874 he co-founded The Concert Society, Copenhagen becoming its vice conductor. This was not entirely selfless as the society supported him in his work as organist at a number of churches around Copenhagen.

Whilst his compositions and performances were highly regarded, he also developed a formidable reputation as a musicologist. In 1889 he was appointed a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Music becoming its Director a year later.

He editor piano works and vocal scores by his former teachers Johan Hartmann and Nils Gade as well as helping publish works by Christian Hansen. He wrote the first Danish textbook on orchestration.

His compositions tend to be mostly for piano or organ and whilst they were well received in his lifetime are hardly if at all heard today.