Bjarne Male Chorus Records, 1890-1977
Collection Overview
Title: Bjarne Male Chorus Records, 1890-1977
ID: OGLMC605
Primary Creator: Bjarne Male Chorus
Extent: 2.25 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 01/12/1981. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Grand Forks, Music
Abstract
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Collection Historical Note
The Bjarne Male Chorus was established in Grand Forks on July 3, 1881. The choir was founded by H. Fremstad, a native of Norway who emigrated to the United States in the late 1870s. Fremstad was a talented musician and was instrumental in organizing male singing societies in Norway. He continued this work after arrival in America.
The purpose of the organization was "to become as proficient as possible in the rendition of good musical compositions for male voices, to create a deeper appreciation of good music in general and to obtain pleasure and social enjoyment from intercourse with one another." The first meetings were held at the home of L. K. Hassell and later at the Synod Church on Cottonwood Street.
The early members included O. A. Moe, J. D. Wurschmidt, H. A. Moe, L. K. Hassell, Bersvend Johnson, P. J. Bye, O. C. Langseth, Gulick Pederson, S. O. Leen, O. Brodtkrob, O. Hexom, O. L. Sahesen (?), and Anton Pederson. The Bjarne Male Chorus participated in various Norwegian singing festivals. Grand Forks hosted festivals in 1904 and 1916. The Chorus was still in existence in the 1960s, more than eighty years after it was organized.
The collection includes one folder of material pertaining to the Nora Band, which was organized in 1890 also by Mr. Fremstad. Several members of Bjarne were members of this band. About 1898, the Nora Band was renamed the Grand Forks City Band.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Accruals: Additional materials were received from Jay Hillier of the Myra Museum, Grand Forks, North Dakota in 1985 (85-1410) and 1987 (87-1513), as well as from the Honve House (2006-2847) and from the Grand Forks Sons of Norway Lodge (2012-3178).
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Source: Elaine McLaughlin, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Acquisition Method: Donation; 81-701
Preferred Citation: [Description of Item]. Bjarne Male Chorus Records. OGLMC 605. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections. Chester Fritz Library. University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid added to Archon in July 2012.
Other Note: The Bjarne banner that appears in some of the group photos is in the possesion of the Grand Forks County Historical Society (Myra Museum) in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[All]
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Bjarne History, ca. 1931
- Folder 2: Fun Fest ticket, 1938; Bjarne songs, undated; Newspaper article with letter, 1976-1981
- Folder 3: Norwegian Singers Association of America Sangerfest Programs, 1904, 1912, 1916
- Folder 4: Norwegian Singers Association of America Sangerfest Programs, 1934, 1936
- Folder 5: Red River Valley Norwegian Singers Association and Bjarne Music Programs, 1935-1964
- Folder 6: Sanger-Hilsen (publication of the Norwegian Singers Association of America), Vol. 25:12 and Vol. 26:12, 1934, 1935
- Folder 7: Song books, in Norwegian and in English, ca. 1940-1948
- Folder 8: Constitution, By-laws, and meeting minutes of the Nora Band, 1890-1892
- Folder 1: Bjarne History, ca. 1931
- Box 2
- Photograph 1: ca. 1915 (date from back of photograph)
- The chorus is posed in three rows: the first row is seated and the the other two are standing. In the background is the Bjarne banner. Lars K. Hassell is third from left in the front row, while Emil Odegard is second from right in the second row. Other chorus members are unidentified.
- Photograph 2: ca. 1930
Front Row: unidentified, unidentified, Oscar Lunseth, Wilhelm P. Rognlie (director), Emil Odegard, Fred Hanson, unidentified
Second Row: Ole Paulson, Simon Paulson, George Spangberg, Sigurd Bye, Harold Hanson, ? Larson, unidentified
Third Row: Al Johnson, unidentified, unidentified, Clarence A. Heen, Tom Locken, Haaken Johnson, Ernest Johnson
Back Row: Ole Christianson, Alfred Odegard, unidentified, Iver Jeglum, unidentified
- Photograph 3: ca. 1910, Lee Bros. studio
- The photograph shows fourteen chorus members in three rows wearing their caps. Emil Odegard is second from right in the middle row. Other chorus members are unidentified.
- Photograph 4: ca. 1930, Hoff Studio
Front row: Andrew Sjern, Olaf Christenson, Oscar Lunseth, Wilhelm P. Rognlie (director), Emil Odegard, Alfred Johnson, unidentified
Middle row: George Spangberg, Iver Jeglum, unidentified, Simon Paulson, Sigurd Bye, Haakon Johnson, Oscar W. Johnson (?), Alf Hulteng
Back row: Tom Locken, Ole Paulson, Ole Christianson, Elroy Schroeder, Alfred Odegard, Clarence A. Heen, Fred Hanson
- Photograph 5: ca. 1936, Hoff Studio, Grand Forks, N.D.
First row: Walter Swanson, Emil Odegard, unidentified, unidentified, Wilhelm P. Rognlie (director), Fred Hanson, Oscar Lunseth, unidentified, unidentified
Second row: unidentified, Ole Paulson, unidentified, Sigurd Bye, Harold Hanson, Alfred Johnson, Simon Paulson, ? Larson
Third row: George Spangberg, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Iver Jeglum
Fourth row: unidentified, unidentified, Ernest Johnson, unidentified, Oscar W. Johnson, Tom Locken, unidentified
- Photograph 6: ca. 1940, Hoff Studio, Grand Forks, N.D.
First row: unidentified, unidentified, Harold Hanson, Wilhelm P. Rognlie (director), unidentified, George Spangberg, Alfred Johnson
Second row: Ole Paulson, Emil Odegard, unidentified, unidentified, Sigurd Bye, Ernest Johnson, unidentified, unidentified
Third row: Walter Swanson, unidentified, unidentified, Oscar W. Johnson, unidentified, unidentified, Tom Locken
Fourth row: unidentified, Oscar Lunseth, Alfred Odegard, unidentified, Fred Hanson, unidentified
- Photograph 7: ca. 1925-1930, Bjarne Chorus, Hoff Studio
The chorus is posed in four rows, with the chorus banner in the back.
First row: Emil Odegard, unidentified, unidentified, Wilhelm P. Rognlie (director), unidentified, Fred Hanson, unidentified
Second row: unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Ole Paulson, unidentified, unidentified, Iver Jeglum
Third row: unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Alfred Odegard, Oscar Lunseth, unidentified, unidentified
Fourth row: Alfred Johnson, Sigurd Bye, unidentified, Tom Locken
- Photograph 8: ca. 1910-1915
The chrous is in three rows, with the banner in the back.
Front row: unidentified, unidentified, Lars K. Hassell, unidentified, unidentified
Middle row: unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Emil Odegard, unidentified
Back row: unidentified, unidentified, Lawrence J. Anderson, unidentified
- Photograph 1: ca. 1915 (date from back of photograph)
- Box 3