Christian August Sinding (January 11, 1856 – December 3, 1941) was a prominent Norwegian composer best known for his lyrical piano work Frühlingsrauschen (“Rustle of Spring,” 1896). Born in Kongsberg, he exhibited early musical promise, initially studying violin and theory in Oslo before attending the prestigious Leipzig Conservatory (1874–78), where he trained under Henry Schradieck and Salomon Jadassohn. Though an accomplished violinist, he shifted his focus to composition.
Sinding’s musical voice blends the rich chromaticism of Liszt and Wagner with Nordic lyricism, earning critical comparisons to Edvard Grieg and recognition as his heir. His catalog boasts over 130 opus numbers, including four symphonies (1880s–1936), three violin concertos, a piano concerto, chamber music, and around 250 songs. His first major success came with the Piano Quintet in E minor, Op. 5 (1882–84), performed by notable musicians including Brodsky and Busoni.
Although he lived much of his life in Germany, Sinding received consistent support from the Norwegian government—scholarships from 1880, a life pension in 1910, and honorary residence at Oslo’s Grotten in 1924. In 1921–22 he taught composition at the Eastman School of Music in the U.S..
Sinding’s legacy remains ambiguous. Highly esteemed in his lifetime, his reputation suffered posthumously—partly due to a Nazi Party affiliation late in life under dementia, shadowing his work after World War II . Today, Frühlingsrauschen endures, and more recent recordings and scholarship are gradually restoring attention to his broader oeuvre.
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