Herman D. Koppel composed the 50 Short Piano Pieces, Op. 99, for his grandchildren after his wife's death, using them to forge new bonds with his family and introduce new music and piano techniques.
Composition History
Herman D. Koppel's interest in pedagogy was animated by Carl Nielsen, a Danish composer, who in 1929 urged contemporary composers to write accessible music for educational purposes.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Béla Bartók, a Hungarian composer, was a significant inspiration for Herman D. Koppel, particularly in his short pedagogical pieces and works with assertive rhythms.
Composition History
When Herman D. Koppel auditioned for the Royal Danish Academy of Music at age 17, he played 'Gammel dans' (Old Dance), and Carl Nielsen, on the admission committee, praised his sense of form.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Many of Herman D. Koppel's works, including those on this album, were composed with close family members in mind and often had an educational purpose.
Composer Biography
Herman D. Koppel, the composer, grew up in a tradition-rooted Jewish family, which led to a deep family crisis when he married a non-Jewish woman at age 27.
Critical Reception
Herman D. Koppel's Suite for Piano, Op. 21, divided opinions, with one critic describing it as 'one of the most typical examples of the decay of contemporary music - soulless rhythmic music from start to finish.'
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