Fantasy Pieces Op. 2

Carl Nielsen's Fantasy Pieces for oboe and piano were composed in 1889/90. Having just gained a position as a violinist in the Royal Danish Orchestra, Nielsen had already experienced success with his String Suite Op. 1 both as a composer and as a conductor. Several sketches and autographs bear witness to his intensive work on these contrasting pieces for oboe, which were to appear in 1890 as his Opus 2. The two movements, Romance and Humoreske, are dedicated to the oboist Olivo Krause who played in the royal orchestra. His beautiful tone and virtuosic technique probably played no small part in the fact that these miniatures by the "young, talented composer" took the public and critics by storm at their first performance in March 1891.