Born in Uelzen, Germany, 11 Sept 1786
Died in Copenhagen, 12 Mar 1832
- Friedrich Kuhlau [KOO-low, “low” pronounced like “how”] was a composer and pianist whose works straddle the transition from Classical to Romantic eras. Some of Kuhlau’s contemporaries were Carl Maria von Weber, Louis Spohr, John Field, and Niccolò Paganini.
- Kuhlau is considered among the creative forces behind the Danish Golden Age.
- As a child, Kuhlau lost his right eye due to an accident, though any details about the incident are few and far between.
- Born in Germany, Kuhlau lived near Hamburg until the area was invaded by Napoleon’s army in 1810. The composer fled to Copenhagen, where he found success as a composer, pianist, and educator quite quickly. He remained in Denmark for the rest of his life–in 1813, Kuhlau became a Danish citizen.1
- Fun fact – During a trip to Vienna, Kuhlau became acquainted with none other than Beethoven. Kuhlau greatly admired the Viennese composer, whose music inspired much of Kuhlau’s own music, and the two became great friends until Beethoven died in 1827.2
Learn More
“Beethoven of the Flute: Rediscover Kuhlau and His Works for Flute, Piano, and Operas!” from Interlude
Biography from Dacapo Records
Sources
- “Friedrich Daniel Rudolf Kuhlau,” The Kennedy Center, accessed July 30, 2025, https://www.kennedy-center.org/artists/k/ko-kz/friedrich-kuhlau/.
- Fanny Po Sim Head, “Beethoven of the Flute: Rediscover Kuhlau and His Works for Flute, Piano, and Operas!,” Interlude (2023), accessed July 30, 2025, https://interlude.hk/friedrich-kuhlau-and-his-works-for-flute-piano-and-operas/.