Jacob Gade

Jacob Thune Hansen Gade (Vejle, Denmark, November 29, 1879 – February 20, 1963, Assens) was a Danish violinist and composer, mostly of orchestral popular music. He is remembered today for a single tune, the familiar "Jalousie", also known as Jalousie 'Tango Tzigane' and Tango Jalousie.

Jacob Thune Hansen Gade was born in Vejle, Denmark on November 29, 1879, and died on February 20, 1963. He belonged to a family of musicians. His grandfather and his father used to go around the nearby villages to play at all kinds of parties. And it was natural that, since early age, he as well began to play and was another member of the musical group.

He was 9 when he made his debut as trumpeter. He might have been an attraction because only a year later he was invited to Copenhagen to become a soloist in the orchestra of the Tivoli Garden, a famous amusement park. It was only at age 12 when he began to study violin, firstly with his father and later with teachers of greater knowledge. Soon he evidenced his ambition, he wanted to be recognized and for that he decided to move to the capital.

He began to compose country music, polkas and similar rhythms. With a scarce capital he left hurrying up his fate. He dreamed of being an orchestra conductor, and of writing waltzes, by then he was convinced that it was the best music in the world. He had a hard time, at night, he used to sleep at the entrance of buildings, at the hall near the stairs.

He started to work at small cafeterias and, about two years later, when he was only 18, he began to be connected with people who summoned him to play at an operetta in Frederiksberg, the night center of entertainment at that time.

A prolific composer, in 1900, for the first time a toast song of his was published titled “Der er sollys i modne druer” (The sunshine on the ripe grapes), with lyrics by his finder, Lorry Feilberg. It turned out a very popular song and, among others, it was sung by Elna From, a theater actress ten years older than he, who was his first love. Although they never married, he had three children with her. They separated in 1906 and two years later, in Christiania, then capital of Norway, he married another actress: Mimi Mikkelsen, with whom he lived until she died in 1951.

He joined several orchestras up to 1903 when he already led his own. He didn't change his orientation; he was creator and diffuser of danceable music. In 1909, the recognition he achieved by his work made him be hired by the famous Hotel Bristol, located in front of the main plaza of Copenhagen. In order enhance his musical knowledge he turned to maestro Max Schlüler, an important concert player. Gade was already 30 and was too old to become a concert instrumentalist of classical music. Some time before, because of the same reason he had not been accepted in the Royal Conservatory of Danish Music.

...
Wikipedia