A man of many interests and talents, Bentzon had early lessons on the piano and cello and also pursued painting and the study of more than 12 foriegn languages. He showed early promise as a composer and had completed a piano sonata in g minor by the age of 17, the same year that he began to study harmony. It was this composition that so impressed Nielson that he accepted Bentzon as a private student. He earned a law degree from the University of Copenhagen in 1920. This was followed by travel and musical study in Leipzig, after which he returned to Copenhagen to combine careers in music and law. He had a long legal career, including a position at the Ministry of Justice and as a clerk of The Supreme Court. He became interested in music education for the masses and co-founded the Copenhagen People's Music School in 1932. From 1937-46 he was head of all The Danish Folke-Musikskoler. Achieving only limited success as a composer of serious music, Bentzon's most important works are compositons that are meant for educational purposes and amateur performances.