Background
Knudåge Riisager was born in Estonia of Danish parents. His father Emil Riisager was an engineer, and the family returned to Denmark in 1900 when Knudåge was three years old.
Knudåge Riisager was born in Estonia of Danish parents. His father Emil Riisager was an engineer, and the family returned to Denmark in 1900 when Knudåge was three years old.
Examen political science U. Copenhagen (Denmark), 1921. Student music, 1916-1924. Student Paul Le Flem, Paris, 1923-1924, Albert Roussel, Paris, 1923-1924, Hermann Grabner, Leipzig (Germany), 1932.
Doctor of Music (honorary), University Seattle (Washington), 1972.
For many years he worked in a government job, and also as a composer. In 1923 he went to Paris to study with Albert Roussel and Paul Le Flem, where he experienced at first hand French neoclassicism and the music of Igor Stravinsky and Les Six. Knudåge Riisager's international fame is largely due to his extensive work in ballet music, which was primarily a result of collaboration with Harald Lander.
The first work he composed for the Royal Danish Theatre was music for the ballet Benzin by Storm P. staged by Elna Ørnberg in 1930. Knudåge Riisager was also an industrious writer: his bibliography includes nearly 400 titles spread over six decades. In 1956–67 he was director of the Royal Danish Academy of His compositions are stored in the and Theatre Department at the Royal Danish Library.
He was a commander of the 1st degree in the Dannebrogordenen, and is buried at Tibirkegård.
Married Ase Klenow, July 6, 1920. Children: Torben, Elsebet.