You might know Riisager's
name whether because of his Trumpet
Concertino, recorded by CBS as
part of a Philadelphia Principals series,
or because of Chandos's exemplary orchestral
collection.
Born in Estonia of
Danish parents he pursued a life in
music alongside a career in the higher
echelons of the Copenhagen-based civil
service. His musical grounding came
from Otto Malling and then Peder Gram
but his works were lent a distinctive
flavour by Parisian years spent as a
pupil of Paul le Flem and Albert Roussel.
His orchestral music includes a Violin
Concerto written for Wandy Tworek, orchestral
fantasies such as Archaeopteryx and
ballets such as Moon Reindeer and Qartssiluni.
The 1931 Sonata
is said to have been inspired by
Bartók's visit to Copenhagen
and by performances of his own sonata.
There is an off-key jazzy whirlwind
clangour to it and a complete separation
from the romantic or pastoral stream.
The music also recalls that of Ornstein
and Cowell. When at peace it shows a
sympathy with Satie's stillness. There
is a little less paprika in the Deux
Morceaux (quite a few French
titles here) with, in the case of the
first piece, a pervasive steady gravity.
It is followed by a cheeky and offbeat
Vivace. Then come four tableaux
from Slaraffenland (the
dreamland idyll of Cockaigne), alternately
dreamy and gamin. The 1950 Sonatine
is in three cut-glass movements
lively and calmingly hymnal. The waltz
from another ballet Tolv med posten
is another dream-dance spun
of peace and Gallic moonlight. The Four
Children's Pieces from 1964
are stately and cooling; more objective
than the early works. The Four
Epigrammes reach confidently
towards the peaceable, jazzy, stately
and elfin-cheeky kingdoms of Ravel and
Satie. En Glad Trompet -
and five other pieces - are for
children - imaginative, not condescending,
tracing the boundary between music for
children and music for adults written
about childhood.
This is a comparatively
short-playing anthology but attractive
and not without fascination. Riisager's
French-accents are strong and his music
will appeal, without doubt, to anyone
with a liking for Poulenc, and Ravel.
Quite a discovery. Now lead the way
to his orchestral music.
Rob Barnett
Christina Bjørkøe (piano) 