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KnudgeRiisagerLongBiographyMusicSalesClassical
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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
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