Klenau, Paul von (1883-1946)

Danish conductor and composer of German descent. He studied violin and composition at Copenhagen. His composition teachers were Malling (in Copenhagen), and after 1902, Bruch (in Berlin), and Thuille (in Munich). When appointed conductor of the Stuttgart Opera in 1908 he studied further with Schillings. In 1914 he returned home and established the Philharmonic Society, at which he introduced many modern orchestral works. He also conducted orchestral and choral concerts in Vienna.

Works Operas Sulamith (1913), Kjartan and Gudrun (revised as Gudrun in Iceland, 1918).

Incidental music and ballets The School for Scandal (after Sheridan, 1927), Michael Kohlhaas (after Kleist), Rembrandt van Rijn (1937); ballet Lille Ida's blomster (after Andersen).

Orchestral seven symphonies (1908-41), three orchestral fantasies on Dante's Inferno, Bank-Holiday Souvenir of Hampstead Heath for orchestra Vocal oratorio Job; The Song of the Love and Death of Cornet Christof Rilke for baritone solo, chorus and orchestra (1915); Dialogues with Death for contralto and orchestra; Ebbe Skammalsen for baritone and orchestra.

Instrumental string quartet in E minor, piano pieces.