Jacob Gade

Who was Jacob Gade?

Jacob Thune Hansen Gade was a Danish violinist and composer, mostly of orchestral popular music.

Today he is remembered for a single tune, the familiar Jalousie 'Tango Tzigane', also known as Tango Jalousie, or simply Jalousie, premiered September 14, 1925. The tango, written to accompany a silent film when Gade was leader of the orchestra of the Palads Cinema, was an instant international hit. When talkies were introduced it was featured in over 100 films. The royalties allowed Gade to devote himself to composition full-time for the rest of his life. Arthur Fiedler made the first recording of the piece with the Boston Pops, further increasing Gade's income. The royalties now fund a foundation for young musicians.

In an interview two years before his death, Fiedler recalled that Gade came especially to Boston to thank him for the recording. Gade also presented Fiedler with a score of a symphony which Fiedler recalled as "one of the worst pieces of music I ever looked at."

Lyrics in many languages have been fitted to the composition. Among the many versions of the Tango Jalousie is a transcription for Spanish guitar by Kaare Norge featuring on his Movements album from 1996.