Emil Norlander
Encyclopedia
Emil Norlander was a Swedish journalist, author and producer. Originally a dentist, by the late 1890s he was working as a columnist on a Stockholm
newspaper. He also contributed to the humor magazine Nya Nisse, eventually becoming its chief editor. He later edited the humor magazine Kasper.
He wrote more than twenty books, the most famous being Anderssonskans Kalle (Anderson's Charlie), the tale of a mischievous boy in turn-of-the-century Stockholm
.
Starting in 1899, Norlander wrote and produced over sixty revues as well as many popular comedies. His most famous revue was Den förgyllda lergöken (The gilded toy ocarina). He wrote the lyrics for many comic songs, including Fia Jansson and Amanda Lundbom. His New Year's variety shows were held at Södra Teatern
, one of Stockholm's
most prestigious venues.
After 1920 Norlander's popularity waned as the Swedish public embraced a new generation of entertainers. His last big hit was Den gula paviljongen in 1923. When the "Revue King" finally retired, he was succeeded by Karl Gerhard
and Ernst Rolf
.
During his lengthy career Norlander wrote the lyrics for hundreds of songs, collaborating with Kal Dompan, David Hellström, Arthur Högstedt, John Redland, Max Uyma and other Swedish composers. For some of his songs he borrowed well-known melodies from abroad: Fredssång (Silver Threads Among the Gold
), Lycklige John (Lucky Jim) and Kärlek På Italienska Och Svenska (Santa Lucia
).
In a more serious vein Norlander wrote the lyrics to Fredssång (Peace Song), which begins with the lines: Varför skola mänskor strida, varför skall det flyta blod. (Why should people fight, why should blood flow.) This song, written at the time of the First World War
, has been recorded numerous times and published in a variety of songbooks. The singer Sven-Bertil Taube
released a memorable version of the song in 1972.
In the 1910s and 1920s Emil Norlander was introduced to Swedish-American audiences through recordings on the Columbia
, Edison
and Victor
labels. Among those recording his songs in America were Ingeborg Laudon, Bert Leman, Gösta Nyström, Elis Olson-Ellis, Hjalmar Peterson
, Calle Sjöquist and Charles G. Widdén
.
Project Runeberg
Swedish lyrics
PDF file
Mp3 files and streaming audio
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
newspaper. He also contributed to the humor magazine Nya Nisse, eventually becoming its chief editor. He later edited the humor magazine Kasper.
He wrote more than twenty books, the most famous being Anderssonskans Kalle (Anderson's Charlie), the tale of a mischievous boy in turn-of-the-century Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
Starting in 1899, Norlander wrote and produced over sixty revues as well as many popular comedies. His most famous revue was Den förgyllda lergöken (The gilded toy ocarina). He wrote the lyrics for many comic songs, including Fia Jansson and Amanda Lundbom. His New Year's variety shows were held at Södra Teatern
Södra Teatern
Södra Teatern is a theatre in Stockholm, Sweden. Located in the popular "Söder"-district , it's one of Stockholms most appreciated private theatres. Established in 1859, it's Stockholm's oldest private theatre...
, one of Stockholm's
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
most prestigious venues.
After 1920 Norlander's popularity waned as the Swedish public embraced a new generation of entertainers. His last big hit was Den gula paviljongen in 1923. When the "Revue King" finally retired, he was succeeded by Karl Gerhard
Karl Gerhard
Karl Gerhard was a Swedish revue-writer and performer. Many of Karl Gerhard’s plays and songs are politically to the left, and during the 1930s and World War II, they contained clear anti-fascist statements....
and Ernst Rolf
Ernst Rolf
Ernst Rolf, real name Ernst Ragnar Johansson, , was a Swedish revue actor and singer. In the 1920s he was famous for producing revues that were acclaimed for their dazzling sets, first class actors and stirring music. He was also a lyricist and composer...
.
During his lengthy career Norlander wrote the lyrics for hundreds of songs, collaborating with Kal Dompan, David Hellström, Arthur Högstedt, John Redland, Max Uyma and other Swedish composers. For some of his songs he borrowed well-known melodies from abroad: Fredssång (Silver Threads Among the Gold
Silver Threads Among the Gold
"Silver Threads Among the Gold", first copyrighted in 1873, was an extremely popular song in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today it is a standard of barbershop quartet singing. The lyrics are by Eben E...
), Lycklige John (Lucky Jim) and Kärlek På Italienska Och Svenska (Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia is a traditional Neapolitan song. It was transcribed by Teodoro Cottrau and published by the Cottrau firm, as a "barcarolla", at Naples in 1849. Cottrau translated it from Napuletano into Italian during the first stage of the Risorgimento, the first Neapolitan song to be given Italian...
).
In a more serious vein Norlander wrote the lyrics to Fredssång (Peace Song), which begins with the lines: Varför skola mänskor strida, varför skall det flyta blod. (Why should people fight, why should blood flow.) This song, written at the time of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, has been recorded numerous times and published in a variety of songbooks. The singer Sven-Bertil Taube
Sven-Bertil Taube
Sven-Bertil G. E. Taube is a Swedish singer and actor. Born in Stockholm, he is the son of songwriter Evert Taube and sculptor Astri Bergman Taube.-Biography:...
released a memorable version of the song in 1972.
In the 1910s and 1920s Emil Norlander was introduced to Swedish-American audiences through recordings on the Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, Edison
Edison Records
Edison Records was one of the earliest record labels which pioneered recorded sound and was an important player in the early recording industry.- Early phonographs before commercial mass produced records :...
and Victor
Victor Talking Machine Company
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey....
labels. Among those recording his songs in America were Ingeborg Laudon, Bert Leman, Gösta Nyström, Elis Olson-Ellis, Hjalmar Peterson
Hjalmar Peterson
-Swedish-American entertainer:Olle i Skratthult was the stage name of Hjalmar Peterson, a Swedish-American vaudeville artist, who achieved great popularity during the 1910s and 1920s. Peterson was born February 7, 1886 in the Swedish province of Värmland. Arriving in the United States in 1906, he...
, Calle Sjöquist and Charles G. Widdén
Charles G. Widdén
-Swedish-American entertainer:Charles G. Widdén was a Swedish immigrant performer in the first quarter of the 20th Century. As a young child Widdén came with his family to Worcester, Massachusetts. He is said to have been from the Swedish province of Närke...
.
Selected revues by Emil Norlander
- 1899 - Den stora strejken
- 1900 - Den förgyllda lergöken
- 1901 - Prinsessan Habbahabba
- 1902 - I sjunde himlen
- 1903 - Damen med masken
- 1903 - Jönsson, Jonsson, Jansson
- 1903 - Gubben i Renberget
- 1904 - Kovander, Bovander & C:i
- 1905 - Stockholmsluft
- 1905 - Bluff
- 1906 - Kalle Munter
- 1907 - Stackars Olson
- 1907 - Mångubben
- 1908 - N:r 30 Gustafsson
- 1908 - Johnsons 7 fruar
- 1909 - Konstgjorda Svensson
- 1909 - Nick Carter
- 1910 - Tokiga Amelie
- 1910 - Tre jobbande pojkar
- 1911 - Spasmiga Wahlund
- 1912 - Stockholmsgask
- 1912 - Stockholmsgreker
- 1913 - Sankt Jönsson och Draken
- 1914 - Stockholmsflugor
- 1915 - Stockholm runt på 140 minuter
- 1915 - Restaurant Pumpen
- 1916 - Stockholmsjobb
- 1917 - Teaterflugan
- 1917 - Malla
- 1918 - Tokstollar
- 1918 - Filmkungen
- 1919 - Tutti-Frutti
- 1919 - Lev livet leende
- 1920 - Cirkus Jönsson
- 1922 - Venuspassagen
- 1922 - Med pukor och trumpeter
- 1923 - Kungarevyn
- 1924 - Festprissar
- 1925 - Genom kikaren
- 1926 - Slag i slag
External links
- Emil Norlander at the EDVR.
- Emil Norlander at the IMDBInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
. - Emil Norlander at Swedish music and film.
- Emil Norlander photographs at the National Library of Sweden.
Project Runeberg
- Rännstensungar och storborgare. "Children of the gutter and prominent citizens": a half century of Stockholm life.
Swedish lyrics
- Amanda Lundbom
- Den gula paviljongen
- Fia Jansson
- Varför skola mänskor strida.
PDF file
- Emil Norlander songbook at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
.
Mp3 files and streaming audio
- Den gula paviljongen at the Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
. - Skrattkuplett from the 1900 revue "Den förgyllda lergöken" (The gilded toy ocarina) at Sveriges RadioSveriges RadioSveriges Radio AB – Swedish Radio Ltd – is Sweden's national publicly funded radio broadcaster. The Swedish public-broadcasting system is in many respects modelled after the one used in the United Kingdom, and Sveriges Radio - like Sveriges Television - shares many characteristics with...
. - Sockerdricka from the 1911 revue "Spasmiga Wahlund" (Excitable Wahlund) at the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization ProjectCylinder Preservation and Digitization ProjectThe Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project is a free digital collection maintained by the University of California, Santa Barbara Libraries with streaming and downloadable versions of over 10,000 phonograph cylinders manufactured between 1893 and the mid 1920s.- History :The project began...
. - Varför skola mänskor strida at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. - Ten songs with lyrics by Emil Norlander at the National Library of Sweden. Recordings and texts.
- Ten songs with lyrics by Emil Norlander at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
.