The piece received its premiere at the Odd Fellows Mansion in Copenhagen on 8 October 1903, with Johan Svendsen conducting the Royal Danish Orchestra.

Besides his well-known six symphonies, the Danish composer Carl Nielsen wrote many short orchestral works, one of the most famous being the Helios Overture.

[2] Nielsen's stay in Athens gave him the inspiration of a work depicting the sun rising and setting over the Aegean Sea, an overture which he called Helios.

On the score, Nielsen wrote: "Silence and darkness,The sun rises with a joyous song of praise,It wanders its golden wayand sinks quietly into the sea.

"[3]After a trip to Turkey, Carl and Anne Marie Nielsen traveled through Italy and reached Copenhagen by the end of July.