Nielsen composed the quintet in one of his frantic periods. He started shortly after finishing the Fifth Symphony in the beginning of 1922, and completed it in April while staying as a guest conductor in Gothenburg. It is said that Nielsen was inspired to compose the quintet when he heard Københavns Blæserkvintet (the Copenhagen Wind Quintet). He dedicated the work to the ensemble's five member. In the final movement of the quintet, Nielsen employs his hymn tune, 'Min Jesus, lad mit Hjerte faa' (CNW 184), as theme for the set of variations. See more about this work at The Royal Library