Musicatlas
Music
- 3 symphonies
- Violin concerto
- Opera "The Royal Guest"
- Chamber music
Life
Børresen was descended from a merchant family. As a child, he was given violin, cello and piano lessons. When Børresen made clear to his father that he wished to become a composer, the latter arranged for him to study at the Royal Danish Conservatory in 1895. There he studied composition with Johan Svendsen. After further private studies, his First Symphony was given a privately premiered in 1901. It made his name as an up and coming composer. There followed travels in Germany, France and Belgium, where he made many useful connections. From 1902 on he divided his time between Copenhagen and Skagen where he maintained a second home. Børresen was an important organizer of several Danish music festivals and served as the president of Danish Composers Union between 1924 and 1949. At the time of his death, he was widely regarded as one of Denmark’s most important musicians. His opera, the Royal Guest, is widely regarded as the best early 20th Century Danish opera and his chamber music works, though not numerous, received considerable critical praise.