Jakob Fabricius

Jakob Christian Fabricius (Århus, 1840 – Copenhagen, 1919) was a central figure in Danish musical life in the nineteenth century, although his fame rests more on his organisational work than on his output as a composer. A banker by profession, he devoted much of his time to practical initiatives that transformed the musical landscape of Copenhagen.

In 1871 he founded the Samfund til Udgivelse af Dansk Musik (Society for the Publication of Danish Music), of which he was chairman from 1887 until his death. Two years later, in 1872, he created the Vega choir, and in 1874 he was one of the founders of the Koncertforening, a progressive concert society that existed until 1893. The construction of the city's first regular concert hall, the Koncertpalae, is apparently due in large part to his impetus, and it was erected between 1884 and 1888.

As a music critic, his writings stood out against the generally poor criticism of his day. As a composer, however, he was never highly valued in Denmark, perhaps because his practical activity overshadowed his production. His early work En vaarnat (A Summer Night), for choir and orchestra, and a symphony from 1880 were performed in Copenhagen, but for years his works were better known abroad, above all his madrigals and choral works performed in Berlin and his songs with piano and cello published in Paris.