Asger Hamerik (1843-1923) was a Danish composer during the late Romantic period. Considered during his lifetime the best-known Danish composer after Niels Gade, he studied with Hans von Bülow and Hector Berlioz, the latter having a great influence on his style. After some movement around Europe, in 1871 Hamerik took a position in the United States at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. It was during his time there that he composed most of his large-scale works, having the Institute's orchestra at his disposal. Returning to Denmark in 1900 with his American pianist and composer wife, he essentially retired and lived out the remainder of his life in his home country, occasionally sitting on competition boards and conducting. Symphony No. 6 in G, Op. 38 'Symphonie Spirituelle' was written for string orchestra in 1897, just a few short years before his return to Denmark. A string count of 8-8-5-5-5 is included in the set.