Joel Mossberg
Encyclopedia
A noted singer and vocal teacher, Joel Mossberg was born in 1870. His birthplace was Kumla
in the Swedish province of Närke
. After completing his elementary education he worked as a stone-carver in Visby
before emigrating in 1892.
In Chicago
Mossberg continued working at his trade, devoting his spare time to musical studies. His fine voice and masterful technique soon made him famous as a baritone of rare ability and secured for him the position of soloist at the North Shore Jewish Synagogue and the Sixth Presbyterian Church.
Much in demand for his concert work, he sang in over twenty states throughout the country. He was a choral director and teacher at the Mendelssohn Conservatory of Music in Chicago
as well as head of the American Union of Swedish Singers. A member of several fraternities, he held honorary membership in the Orpheus Singing Club and Björgvin Singing Society.
Between 1906 and 1919 Joel Mossberg released over seventy songs on the Columbia
, Edison
and Victor
labels. Many were from the Swedish choral tradition: folk songs, student songs, hymns and patriotic anthems. Literary giants Carl Michael Bellman
, Gunnar Wennerberg
and J. L. Runeberg
contributed to his repertoire. At the same time Mossberg recorded several comic songs written by the entertainer Lars Bondeson
.
The Encyclopedic Discography of Victor Recordings
Recordings at the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project
Streaming audio at the Library of Congress
Kumla
Kumla is a locality and the seat of Kumla Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 20 456 inhabitants in 2010.-History:Traditionally Kumla was known as a shoemaker town with a history back to the first half of the 19th century....
in the Swedish province of Närke
Närke
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Svealand in south central Sweden. It is bordered by Västmanland to the north, Södermanland to the east, Östergötland to the southeast, Västergötland to the southwest, and Värmland to the northwest...
. After completing his elementary education he worked as a stone-carver in Visby
Visby
-See also:* Battle of Visby* Gotland University College* List of governors of Gotland County-External links:* - Visby*...
before emigrating in 1892.
In Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
Mossberg continued working at his trade, devoting his spare time to musical studies. His fine voice and masterful technique soon made him famous as a baritone of rare ability and secured for him the position of soloist at the North Shore Jewish Synagogue and the Sixth Presbyterian Church.
Much in demand for his concert work, he sang in over twenty states throughout the country. He was a choral director and teacher at the Mendelssohn Conservatory of Music in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
as well as head of the American Union of Swedish Singers. A member of several fraternities, he held honorary membership in the Orpheus Singing Club and Björgvin Singing Society.
Between 1906 and 1919 Joel Mossberg released over seventy songs 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. Many were from the Swedish choral tradition: folk songs, student songs, hymns and patriotic anthems. Literary giants Carl Michael Bellman
Carl Michael Bellman
was a Swedish poet and composer. Bellman is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a very important influence in Swedish music, as well as in Scandinavian literature in general, to this day....
, Gunnar Wennerberg
Gunnar Wennerberg
Gunnar Wennerberg , Swedish poet, composer and politician. His niece Sara Wennerberg-Reuter was also a well-known musician; she was an organist and composer....
and J. L. Runeberg
Johan Ludvig Runeberg
Johan Ludvig Runeberg was a Finnish poet, and is the national poet of Finland. He wrote in the Swedish language....
contributed to his repertoire. At the same time Mossberg recorded several comic songs written by the entertainer Lars Bondeson
Lars Bondeson
Lars Bondeson was the stage name of Carl Jansson-Öhlin, who was one of the founders of Swedish bondkomik . Born in Örebro in 1865, he was a singer, storyteller, lyricist and publisher. His songbooks were a major influence on countless entertainers in Sweden and America.Lars Bondeson called himself...
.
External links
Swedish music and filmThe Encyclopedic Discography of Victor Recordings
Recordings at the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project
Streaming audio at the Library of Congress