9/17/2015

KnudgeRiisagerLongBiographyMusicSalesClassical

Search
RepertoireSearch
Home

Composers

News

Genre

Listen

Rental

License

OnDemand

Film&TV /

Calendar

Buy

Pops

Composers
Knudge Riisager
> ShortBio
> LongBio
> Snapshot
> Works
> Performances
> Discography

Knudge Riisager
Born: 1897
Died: 1974
Nationality: Danish
Publisher: Edition Wilhelm Hansen
KnudgeRiisagerwasthecosmopolitaninhisgenerationofDanishcomposers.His
fatherwasemployedintheDanishengineeringfirmF.L.Schmidtandthefamilywas
stationedinRigainLatviawhenRiisagerwasborn.

> Photos
Riisagerslifeunfoldedinmanyrespectsinakindofduality.Ontheonehandhe
tookapoliticalsciencedegreeandhadacareerasacivilservantinthecentral
administration(whatistodaytheMinistryofFinanceandthePublicAuditorsOffice).
Alongsidethishetookonanumberofofficesonvariouscouncilsandboardsand
endedupasprincipaloftheRoyalDanishAcademyofMusicinCopenhagen.Onthe
otherhandhewasafreecreativeartisttrainedinParisandorientedtowards
internationalmusicallifeandthelatestcurrentsinart.

> Listen

Hisinterestininstrumentationandinthecapacityofmusictotellastoryisclearas
earlyastheyouthfulworkOverturetoErasmusMontanus,whichisbasedon
LudvigHolbergscomedyofthesamename.
In1923RiisagerspentastudyperiodofsevenmonthsinParis.Hecamehome
preoccupiedwithandinspiredbyallthenewcurrents.Anumberoforiginalworksfromtheperiodclearlyshowinspi
ra

tion
fromcomposerssuchasMauriceRavel,IgorStravinskyandErikSatieaswellasthemostimportant,trendsettingartistic
movementsofthe1920s.
TheorchestralworkTDOXC,forexample,isaFuturisttributetoanewaircraft.ThechoralworkFourvocalisesusessound
paintingtextsandincludeselementsofDadaism.WiththesmallchambermusicjewelSonatePourFlute,Violon,Clarinette
etVioloncello,however,Riisagerfoundhiswayintoacharacteristic,light,divertingNeoclassicalstyle.TheFrenchinspiration
andtheNeoclassicalappearagainintheballetBenzin(Petrol),theoftenplayedConcertinofortrumpetandstringsorthe
successfullittlepianosuiteAHappyTrumpet.
AlongsidetheseNeoclassicalworksonealsofindsworkswithmoreexperimentalfeaturessuchasthemusicfortheballet
Qarrtsiluni.QarrtsiluniisbasedonanumberofGreenlandicmotifsandtherhythmanddynamicsarethebearingelementsof
themusic.TothesewecanaddthemusicfortheballetTheLadyfromtheSea,whichemploysserialtechniques,nottoforget
RiisagerslastmajororchestralworkToApollo,whichhasalmostminimalisticstylisticfeatures.Throughouthiscareerone
clearlysensesawilltoinnovateandincorporatenewcompositiontechniques.
AconstantstrandinRiisagersworkasacomposerishiscollaborationwithanumberofout
stan
dingchoreographers:from
HaraldLander,withwhomRiisagercreatedwhatisabsolutelyhismajorwork,theballetEtudes,throughBirgitCullbergto
FlemmingFlindt.
Besideshisactivitiesasacivilservantandcomposer,Riisagerwasalsoaparticularlybusywriteranddebateronculture.
HjarneFessel2014

Clickheretoreceiveregularnews

AboutUs / FAQ / PrivacyPolicy / ContactUs

Copyright2014MusicSalesClassical.PartoftheMusicSalesGroup.

http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/longbio/Knud%c3%a5geRiisager

1/1