Short bio Knudåge Riisager
Birthday:
1897 in Estonia
Died:
1974 in Copenhagen, Denmark
Active:
1920s - 1960s
Genre:
Classical
Period:
Modern
Full biography Knudåge Riisager
Knudåge Riisager (March 6, 1897 – December 26, 1974) was a Danish composer, known for his contributions to the music scene in Denmark. In addition to being a prolific composer, Riisager was also a writer and a civil servant.
Riisager began his musical education at an early age and later went to Paris to study with Albert Roussel and Paul Le Flem. He also worked as a government official alongside his career as a composer. His work was part of the music event in the art world at the time , and he is considered an important contributor to the neoclassical style of music.
Riisager wrote music in a wide variety of genres, including ballets, operas, film scores, and symphonies. Some of his most famous works include the ballet "Slaraffenland" and the opera "Samson and Delilah." He was known for his use of rhythm and was considered one of the most important Danish composers of the 20th century.
Apart from his musical career, Riisager was also an industrious writer. He wrote several books on a variety of topics related to culture, including the book "Music as a Threat" and a two-volume work on his life and activities as a composer and writer. He was also an active debater on cultural issues.
Knudåge Riisager passed away on December 26, 1974, leaving behind a large body of work that continues to be studied and performed by musicians around the world.
Compositions featuring Knudåge Riisager
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Til Apollon, lysets gud (To Apollo, God of Light), for orchestra | 10:34 min | Orchestral | 1972 |
| 2 | Children's Pieces (4) for piano | 3:26 min | Keyboard | 1964 |
| 3 | Månerenen, ballet, Op. 57 | 47:14 min | Ballet | 1956 |
| 4 | Bricconata (Prank), for violin & piano | 4:16 min | Chamber Music | 1952 |
| 5 | Sonata for 2 violins, Op. 55b | 15:36 min | Chamber Music | 1951 |
| 6 | Palavas, for violin & piano | 2:31 min | Chamber Music | 1951 |
| 7 | Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 54 | 23:16 min | Concerto | 1950 |
| 8 | Sonatine for piano | 7:20 min | Keyboard | 1950 |
| 9 | Archæopteryx, for orchestra, Op. 51 | 16:47 min | Orchestral | 1949 |
| 10 | Sinfonia serena (Symphony No. 5), for strings & timpani, Op. 52 | 19:27 min | Symphony | 1949 |
| 11 | Introduction to Kaj Munk's play "Niels Ebbesen", for orchestra | 4:44 min | Orchestral | 1948 |
| 12 | Etudes, ballet (after Carl Dzerny's piano Studies) | 40:35 min | Ballet | 1947 |
| 13 | Summer Rhapsody (on Danish folk melodies), for orchestra | 11:32 min | Orchestral | 1943 |
| 14 | Slaraffenland (Fool's Paradise), Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 33/2 | 14:03 min | Orchestral | 1940 |
| 15 | Tolv med posten (Twelve by Mail), for orchestra, Op. 37 | Orchestral | 1939 | |
| 16 | Sinfonia gaia (Symphony No. 4), Op. 38 | 18:01 min | Symphony | 1939 |
| 17 | Sinfonia concertante, for string orchestra, Op. 34 | 15:07 min | Orchestral | 1937 |
| 18 | Waltz (Maj), for piano (from the ballet Tolv med posten Op. 37) | 2:12 min | Keyboard | 1937 |
| 19 | Pieces (4) from Slaraffenland, for piano, Op. 33 | 7:37 min | Keyboard | 1936 |
| 20 | Slaraffenland (Fool's Paradise), Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 33/1 | 16:29 min | Orchestral | 1936 |
| 21 | Serenade for flute, violin & cello, Op. 26b | 9:19 min | Chamber Music | 1936 |
| 22 | Sovesang (Lullaby), for violin & piano | 2:07 min | Chamber Music | 1936 |
| 23 | Slaraffenland (Fools Paradise), ballet, Op. 33 | 16:12 min | Ballet | 1936 |
| 24 | Darduse, for chorus & orchestra, Op. 32 | 19:02 min | Choral | 1935 |
| 25 | Sinfonia (Symphony No. 3), Op. 30 | 21:05 min | Symphony | 1935 |
| 26 | Primavera, concert overture, Op. 31 | 5:43 min | Orchestral | 1934 |
| 27 | Morceaux (2) for piano | 2:56 min | Keyboard | 1933 |
| 28 | En Glad Trompet, and other piano pieces | 6:07 min | Keyboard | 1933 |
| 29 | Concertino for 5 violins & piano, Op. 28a | 8:40 min | Concerto | 1933 |
| 30 | Piano Sonata, Op. 22 | 14:42 min | Keyboard | 1931 |
| 31 | Concerto for orchestra, Op. 24 | 16:55 min | Concerto | 1931 |
| 32 | Fastelavn, for orchestra, Op. 20 (Danish Pictures No. 3) | 9:21 min | Orchestral | 1930 |
| 33 | Comoedie, for orchestra, Op. 21 (Danish Pictures No. 4) | 9:46 min | Orchestral | 1930 |
| 34 | Klods Hans, for orchestra, Op. 18 (Danish Pictures No. 2) | 9:45 min | Orchestral | 1929 |
| 35 | Benzin, ballet in 1 act, Op. 17 | 42:51 min | Ballet | 1928 |
| 36 | Symphony No. 2, Op. 14 | 14:56 min | Symphony | 1927 |
| 37 | T-Doxic, poème mécanique for orchestra, Op. 13 | 8:18 min | Orchestral | 1926 |
| 38 | Symphony No. 1, Op. 8 | 25:37 min | Symphony | 1925 |
| 39 | Sonata for violin & piano No. 2, Op. 5 | 19:28 min | Chamber Music | 1923 |
| 40 | Erasmus Montanus, overture for orchestra, Op. 1 (Danish Pictures No. 1) | 10:21 min | Orchestral | 1920 |
| 41 | Aquarelle, for violin & piano in E major | 4:03 min | Chamber Music | 1917 |
| 42 | Minuet for violin & piano | 2:31 min | Chamber Music | 1916 |
| 43 | Romance for violin & piano in C major | 1:43 min | Chamber Music | 1914 |
| 44 | Snevind | 1:38 min | Choral | - |
| 45 | Sonata for violin, cello & piano, Op. 55a | 14:29 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 46 | Qarrtsiluni, Op 36 | 9:00 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 47 | Mor Danmark (Mother Denmark), for voice & piano | 2:37 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 48 | Monument for Kings, for orchestra | 4:40 min | Orchestral | - |
| 49 | Little Overture | 5:18 min | Orchestral | - |
| 50 | Targutisk dans (Targutian Dance), for orchestra | 4:27 min | Orchestral | - |
| 51 | Divertimento for winds (flute, oboe, bassoon and horn) | 9:21 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 52 | Danmarks Frihedssang: En vinter, lang og mørk og hård (Denmark's Freedom Song: A winter, long and dark and hard), song | 2:02 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 53 | Concertino for trumpet & strings, Op. 29 | 11:03 min | Concerto | - |
| 54 | A Funny Trumpet & Other Piano Pieces | 7:32 min | - | |
| 55 | Épigrammes (4), for piano | 8:19 min | Keyboard | - |
Albums featuring Knudåge Riisager
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Knudåge Riisager, Ian van Rensburg, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Andreas Delfs – Violin Concerto - Etudes(CD, Album) | 2018 | Dacapo (4) |
| 2 |  |
Knudåge Riisager, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Bo Holten – The Symphonic Edition Volume 2(CD, Album) | 2013 | Dacapo (4) |
| 3 |  |
Knudåge Riisager / Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Bo Holten – The Symphonic Edition Volume 1(CD, Album) | 2011 | Dacapo (4) |
| 4 |  |
Benzin(CD, Album) | 2008 | Dacapo (4) |
| 5 |  |
Knudåge Riisager, Christina Bjørkøe – Piano Works(CD, Album) | 2004 | Dacapo (4) |
| 6 |  |
Slaraffenland Suites I & II / Tolv Med Posten / Concertino Per Tromba / Darduse(CD, Album) | 1997 | Marco Polo |
| 7 |  |
Knudåge Riisager, The Royal Danish String Quartet, The Scandinavian Wind Quintet – Chamber Music | 1997 | Dacapo Records |
| 8 |  |
Riisager, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra – Etudes (Complete Ballet) / Qarrtsiluni / Erasmus Montanus Overture (Premier Recording)(CD, Stereo) | 1997 | Chandos |
| 9 |  |
Niels. W. Gade, P. E. Lange-Müller, August Enna, Knudåge Riisager, Århus Amts Ungdoms Symfoniorkester – Capriccio : Sulimith & Salomon : Den Lille Pige Med Svovlstikkerne : Slaraffenland(CD, Album) | 1997 | Classico |
| 10 |  |
Riisager, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Václav Neumann – Slaraffenland(CD, Album) | 1993 | Intaglio |
| 11 |  |
Ketil Christensen, Vagn Holmboe, Knudåge Riisager, Erik Norby, Michael Schønwandt – Ketil Christensen Plays Danish Trumpet Concertos(LP) | 1985 | Rondo Grammofon |
| 12 |  |
Knudåge Riisager, Carl Czerny, Simon Holger Paulli, Eduard Helsted, Niels Gade / Orchestra Of London Festival Ballet, Terence Kern – Etude (Etude • Napoli)(LP) | 1982 | His Master's Voice |
| 13 |  |
Knudåge Riisager / Bengt Johnsson – Conservatorium No. 1: Knudåge Riisager Piano Music Played By Bengt Johnsson(LP, Album) | 1976 | Odeon |
| 14 |  |
Carl Nielsen, Niels W. Gade, Knudåge Riisager – Nielsen/Gade/Riisager(LP) | 1968 | Turnabout |
| 15 |  |
Carl Nielsen, Knudåge Riisager – Dansk Musik - Carl Nielsen/Knudåge Riisager(LP, Reissue, Stereo) | 1968 | FONA |
| 16 |  |
Finn Høffding / Knudåge Riisager / Waldemar Wolsing, Poul Allin Erichsen, Randers Byorkester – Dialoger For Obo Og Klarinet / I Anledning Af –(7", 45 RPM) | 1966 | His Master's Voice |
| 17 |  |
Debussy, Nielsen, Riisager – Modern Music for Flute, Violin, Cello, Viola and Harp(LP, 10", Album) | 1965 | Triola |
| 18 |  |
Jørgen Bentzon, Finn Høffding, Knudåge Riisager – Symfonisk Trio, Op. 18 / Evolution, Op. 31 / Primavera, Op. 31(LP) | - | Odeon |
| 19 |  |
Knudåge Riisager, Per Nørgård, Jerzy Semkow, Det Kongelige Kapel – Suite Af Balletten "Etude" / Qarrtsiluni, Opus 36 / Konstellationer, Opus 22, Concerto For 12 Stryger-Grupper(LP, Mono) | - | FONA |
| 20 |  |
Knudåge Riisager, Det Kgl. Kapel, Johan Hye-Knudsen – Slaraffenland, Op. 33(2×Shellac, 12", 78 RPM) | - | Odeon |
| 21 |  |
Knudåge Riisager, Gabriel Fauré, S. Prokofiev, Gilbert Johnson, Lorne Munroe, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy – Knudåge Riisager Concertino for Trumpet and Orchestra, Gabriel Faure Elegie for Cello and Orchestra, S. Prokofiev Sumphony Nr.1 "Cla | - | CBS |
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