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Carl August Nielsen (June 9, 1865–October 3, 1931) was a Danish composer. He is probably the best known composer from Denmark.
Nielsen was born in Sortelung, not far from the city of Odense. His family was relatively poor, but he was still able to learn the violin and piano as a child. He also learnt how to play brass instruments, which led to a job as a bugler in a military band in Odense. He later studied violin and music theory at the Copenhagen Conservatory, but never took formal lessons in composition. Nonetheless, he began to compose. At first, he did not gain enough recognition for his works to support him and in the concert which saw the premiere of his first symphony on March 14, 1894, conducted by Johan Svendsen, he played in the second violin section of the orchestra. However, the same symphony was a great success when played in Berlin in 1896, and from then his fame grew.
He continued to play the violin at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen until 1905, by which time he had found a publisher for his compositions. In 1916 he took a post teaching at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen, and continued to work there until his death.
On April 10, 1891 Nielsen married the Danish sculptress Anne Marie Brodersen. They had met just a month before in Paris. The couple spent their honeymoon in Italy. They remained married until Nielsen's death.
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