Mose Christensen
Encyclopedia
Moses "Mose" Christensen (February 12, 1871 – October 30, 1920) was an American
musician, and founder and conductor of the Oregon Symphony
(then known as the Portland Symphony Orchestra).
. His father, Lars Christensen, had emigrated from Denmark
in the early 1850s to Utah as one of the Mormon pioneers. Mose's mother, Elsa Bjerregaard, was Lars Christensen's second wife in a plural marriage
.
Mose began his musical training with his father, who played the violin
, and his mother, who played the piano
. His brothers Chris, Frederic and Lars Peter were part of the Christensen Orchestra that traveled around northern Utah playing for dances and other social functions. The Christensen bothers relocated from Brigham City
to Ogden
in 1890 and became partners
of a dance hall in order to advance their music careers, and in 1893 they moved to Salt Lake City where they once again played for social dances. They were part of the group of musicians who accompanied the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
to the Chicago World's Fair
in 1893.
After Mose married Carrie Nichols in 1898, he traveled to the East Coast
to study with the German violinist Henry Schradieck
. After returning to the western United States, he eventually settled in Boise, Idaho
, in 1901. During his early years in Boise, Mose met, befriended and became a mentor to the young Ferdinand Sorenson
, raising funds with his other musician friends to send Sorenson to New York City
to study cello. Sorenson went on to become a renowned cellist, conductor, and teacher in his own right. Mose also traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, to study dancing at the M. B. Gilbert School. In Boise, Mose was a partner of the Riverside Pavilion ballroom where he carried out a social dancing business. Besides playing in his dance orchestra he also played in string quartet
s, and from 1906 to 1908 was the conductor of the Boise Philharmonic.
In 1908, Mose and his family left Boise. After settling in Portland, Oregon
, Mose once again opened a dance hall, and in 1910 joined the American National Association, Masters of Dancing, in New York City
. He was elected president of the organization in 1916. Additionally, in order to develop a professional approach to dance at his studio, Mose brought Stefano Mascagno from New York City
to teach ballet
.
In 1911, Mose gathered with a number of his musician friends at his dance hall to form the Portland Symphony Orchestra on a permanent basis. Until then, symphony
concerts were intermittent affairs and years would sometimes pass with no concerts at all. Mose was the first president of the symphony, played the viola
, and was one of its conductors on a rotating basis. Mose stopped conducting in 1918 when Carl Denton
become the permanent conductor. Mose died two years later at the age of 49.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician, and founder and conductor of the Oregon Symphony
Oregon Symphony
The Oregon Symphony is an American orchestra based in Portland, Oregon. Founded as the Portland Symphony Society in 1896, it is the sixth oldest orchestra in the United States, and oldest in the Western United States...
(then known as the Portland Symphony Orchestra).
Biography
Mose was born in Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
. His father, Lars Christensen, had emigrated from Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in the early 1850s to Utah as one of the Mormon pioneers. Mose's mother, Elsa Bjerregaard, was Lars Christensen's second wife in a plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
.
Mose began his musical training with his father, who played the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, and his mother, who played the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. His brothers Chris, Frederic and Lars Peter were part of the Christensen Orchestra that traveled around northern Utah playing for dances and other social functions. The Christensen bothers relocated from Brigham City
Brigham City, Utah
Brigham City is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 17,899 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Box Elder County. It lies on the western slope of the Wellsville Mountains, a branch of the Wasatch Range at the western terminus of Box Elder Canyon...
to Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
in 1890 and became partners
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
of a dance hall in order to advance their music careers, and in 1893 they moved to Salt Lake City where they once again played for social dances. They were part of the group of musicians who accompanied the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
to the Chicago World's Fair
Chicago World's Fair
Chicago World's Fair may refer to:*World's Columbian Exposition of 1893*Century of Progress Exposition of 1933...
in 1893.
After Mose married Carrie Nichols in 1898, he traveled to the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
to study with the German violinist Henry Schradieck
Henry Schradieck
Henry Schradieck was one of the foremost violin teachers of his day. He wrote a series of etude books for the violin which are still in common use today....
. After returning to the western United States, he eventually settled in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, in 1901. During his early years in Boise, Mose met, befriended and became a mentor to the young Ferdinand Sorenson
Ferdinand Sorenson
Ferdinand Sorenson was a prominent music educator in the U.S. state of Oregon as well as a conductor, composer, dance instructor and performer. Originally from Grenaa , Denmark, Sorenson came to the United States as an infant with his parents, Lars and Matilda Sorenson.Sorenson's music education...
, raising funds with his other musician friends to send Sorenson to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to study cello. Sorenson went on to become a renowned cellist, conductor, and teacher in his own right. Mose also traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, to study dancing at the M. B. Gilbert School. In Boise, Mose was a partner of the Riverside Pavilion ballroom where he carried out a social dancing business. Besides playing in his dance orchestra he also played in string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
s, and from 1906 to 1908 was the conductor of the Boise Philharmonic.
In 1908, Mose and his family left Boise. After settling in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Mose once again opened a dance hall, and in 1910 joined the American National Association, Masters of Dancing, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was elected president of the organization in 1916. Additionally, in order to develop a professional approach to dance at his studio, Mose brought Stefano Mascagno from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to teach ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
.
In 1911, Mose gathered with a number of his musician friends at his dance hall to form the Portland Symphony Orchestra on a permanent basis. Until then, symphony
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
concerts were intermittent affairs and years would sometimes pass with no concerts at all. Mose was the first president of the symphony, played the viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, and was one of its conductors on a rotating basis. Mose stopped conducting in 1918 when Carl Denton
Carl Denton
James Carlyle "Carl" Denton was a British-born American conductor. He was the first permanent conductor of the Oregon Symphony, then known as the Portland Symphony Orchestra.-Biography:...
become the permanent conductor. Mose died two years later at the age of 49.