Riisager: Violin Concerto & Etudes / Ian Van Rensburg; Aarhus Symphony Orchestra

Knudåge Riisager (1897-1974) holds a special place in Danish music, enriching it with an extra dimension of spirituality and pithiness. Aarhus Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andreas Delfs here present two key works in Riisager’s catalogue, one of which clearly represented a turning point in his output, namely his orchestral reworking of a selection of Carl Czerny’s piano etudes for his and Harald Lander’s ballet Etudes. The other heralded a stylistic change and ranks as a highly personal contribution to the concerto genre – Riisager’s Violin Concerto is played here by Danish violinist Ian van Rensburg. Van Rensburg has been first concert master of the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra since 1993. He also enjoys a versatile international career as an active soloist, chamber musician, and teacher.