Jacob Gade

Jacob Gade, detail of a memorial plate at Vejle

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.[1]

Written to accompany the Silent era blockbuster Son of Zorro when Gade was leader of the orchestra of the Palads Cinema,[2] the tango premiered on September 14, 1925, and was an instant international hit. When talkies were introduced it was featured in numerous films. [3] The royalties allowed Gade to devote himself to composition full-time for the rest of his life. Arthur Fiedler made the first recording of the piece with the Boston Pops in 1935, further increasing Gade's income. The royalties now fund a foundation for young musicians.

As a symphony composer Gade did not fare as well. In an interview two years before his death, Fiedler recalled that Gade came especially to Boston to thank him for the recording. Gade also presented Fiedler with a score of a symphony which Fiedler recalled as "one of the worst pieces of music I ever looked at."[4]

Notes

  1. ↑ Tango Jalousie was also the name of a Danish feature film produced in 1944 and a Danish short subject by animator Jannik Hastrup
  2. ↑ det Kongelige Bibliotek: Jacob Gade
  3. ↑ http://former.imdb.com/find?ref_=nv_sr_fn&q=jalousie&s=all
  4. ↑ "Fiedler: Builder of America's Musical Bridges". Irving Kolodin. Stereo Review. February 1977. p.75

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