Niels Wilhelm Gade was a Danish composer, conductor, violinist, organist and  teacher. Gade was born in Copenhagen   and began his career as a violinist with the Royal Danish Orchestra, which premiered his concert overture Efterklange af Ossian ("Echoes of   Ossian") in 1841. When his first symphony was turned down for   performance in Copenhagen, he sent it to Felix Mendelssohn. Mendelssohn received the work positively, and conducted it in Leipzig in March 1843, to   enthusiastic public reaction. Supported by a Danish government fellowship, Gade moved to Leipzig, teaching at the Conservatory there, working as an assistant conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, and befriending Mendelssohn, who had an important influence on his music. In 1845 he conducted the  premiere of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor. He also became friends with Robert Schumann.