William Shakespeare (Overture)

Friedrich Daniel Rudolf Kuhlau (1786-1832) was a German-born Danish composer during the Classical and Romantic periods. During his lifetime, Kuhlau was known primarily as a concert pianist and composer of Danish opera, but was responsible for introducing many of Beethoven's works, which he greatly admired, to Copenhagen audiences. In 1825-1826 Kuhlau composed music for Casper Johannes Boye's four-act play 'William Shakespeare'. The overture was published in 1826 and is an invigorating piece, much in the mold of Beethoven, condensing both the tragic and comic elements of Shakespeare's plays.