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Musikforeningen (The Music Society) in Copenhagen was Denmark's most important concert venue in the 19th century. It operated from 1838 to 1931 but it was especially under the leadership of Niels Gade (1850–90) that it became a meeting place for the city's music life with its own symphony orchestra and choir. Carl Nielsen was director from 1915–27. "Musikforeningen i København", Den Store Danske. Retrieved 14 November 2010. Other leaders included Franz Gläser, Emil Hartmann and Franz Neruda.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, the Copenhagen music scene developed rapidly. The Music Society, once the only institution to present orchestral concerts in the winter season, suddenly faced competition from many other organisations such as Koncertforeningen (1874-93), the Royal Orchestra (from 1883), the so-called Palæ concerts at Odd Fellows Mansion (1895-1931) and the Dansk Koncert-Forening (Danish Concert Association) (1901-40). It was therefore more thanks to its name than to its success that the Music Society maintained its status as the city's leading concert provider well into the 20th century. As a private association, it was totally dependent on its members, but as opportunities for concerts increased elsewhere, membership fell steadily. At the height of Gade's term, there had been as many as 2,500 members and each concert was presented twice. By the 1913–14 season, membership had fallen to 900 and concerts were only performed once. Niels Bo Foltmann, "Dirigenten Carl Nielsen og Musikforeningen", Fund og Forskning, Bind 42 (2003), Tidskrift.dk. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
There were usually three or four concerts each season which stretched from November to April. From time to time, there were additional concerts open to the paying public. Performances were held at 8 pm on Thursday evenings at Odd Fellows Mansion (often simply called the Palæ) in Copenhagen's Bredgade. Rehearsals were on Sunday afternoons, a convenient time for members of the choir.
Around 1922, interest drastically declined, not just as a result of the economic recession but especially because the Music Society was increasingly seen as an outdated institution. Poor reviews, triggered perhaps by his lack of professional experience as a conductor, led Nielsen to leave in 1927. He was succeeded by Ebbe Hamerik who, despite considerable experience, was unable to prevent the Music Society's closure in 1931.
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