Emil Reesen (30 May 1887 – 27 March 1964) was a Danish composer, conductor and pianist. Aside from composing for ballets and operas he was also a noted film score composer. He is remembered mainly for his operetta Farinelli (1942), which is still popular today.
Emil Reesen studied with private tutors such as the composer Vilhelm Rosenberg and the pianist Siegfried Langgaard (a pupil of Franz Liszt). He made his debut as a concert pianist in 1911 and was employed as a conductor for the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1927. In 1931 he also began working as a ballet conductor at the Royal Danish Theatre. Later in his life he conducted the Vienna Symphony and recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic. Emil Reesen was the father of the composer Morten Reesen (1928–1961) and the great-uncle of the composer Frederik Magle (his sister's grandson).
1928 Variationer over et tema af Schubert
1933 Gudindernes Strid, ballet
1941 Trianon. Suite i gammel stil
1941 Historien om en Moder, opera (Det kgl. Teater)
1942 Farinelli, operetta (text: Mogens Dam)
1924 Lille Lise Let-på-Tå (Scalarevyen "Regnbuen")
1925 Adrienne med sin luftantenne (Scalarevyen)
1925 Roselille men uden mor (Scalarevyen)
1925 Vil du sænke dit øje (Scalarevyen)
1941 Et Flag er smukkest i Modvind (Poul Sørensen)
1944 To som elsker hinanden (Viggo Stuckenberg)
1948 Vuggevise (Mogens Kaarøe)
Biography at Dansk Komponist Forening (Danish)