Vagn Holmboe (1909-96) was the most influential Danish composer of the generation after Carl Nielsen. With his teaching and his many works from a composing career of over sixty years, Holmboe had a great influence on Danish music and Nordic music in general. His music is luminously clear and precise, striking in its lines and rhythms. Over the years Holmboe was
greatly preoccupied with the folk music principle of going straight to the core of the music. He combined this with his own symphonic turn of mind, with roots as far back as Haydn.