Niels Otto Raasted (1888–1966) was a Danish organist and composer. He is recognized for his contributions to 20th-century Danish liturgical and classical music.
Raasted began his musical education in Denmark before traveling to Leipzig, Germany, where he studied under the composer Max Reger and the organist Karl Straube. The influence of Reger is frequently cited in analyses of Raasted’s compositional style, which often utilized complex polyphony and traditional forms.
In 1924, Raasted was appointed as the cathedral organist at Vor Frue Kirke (The Church of Our Lady) in Copenhagen, a position he held until 1958. His tenure at the cathedral established him as a central figure in Danish organ music. In addition to his performing career, he served as a teacher and was a co-founder of the Danish Organists and Cantors Association, serving as its chairman for several decades.
His body of work consists primarily of organ compositions, including several sonatas and chorale preludes. He also composed chamber music, orchestral works, and choral pieces. His style is characterized by a late-Romantic aesthetic integrated with neoclassical elements, maintaining a focus on structural clarity and contrapuntal rigor.
