Born in Copenhagen, Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller was compelled to interrupt his musical studies by ill-health, which he hoped to alleviate by a study of gardening. He continued his musical activities by himself, and in 1874 made his debut as a composer with a group of songs. Financial independence allowed him to devote the rest of his life to composition.

Vocal, Incidental and Orchestral Music

Lange-Müller is chiefly known for his songs. He wrote works also for chorus and orchestra, and provided music for a number of plays, including, notably, music for Holger Drachmann’s Der var engang (‘Once Upon A Time’), which enjoys continuing national popularity. He wrote music for the same writer’s melodrama Renaissance. His I Alhambra (‘In the Alhambra’) was based on a travel book by Christian Frederik Molbech and offers a series of musical pictures, although the Alhambra itself proved disappointing to the composer when he was able to visit it.