Orphei Drängar
Orphei Drängar (or Sångsällskapet Orphei Drängar, often just OD) is a Swedish male choir and singing society founded in 1853, based in Uppsala and one of the two notable singing societies traditionally affiliated with the university there (the other one being the two decades older Allmänna Sången, "The Common Song"). Sångsällskapet means "The singing society", Orphei means "of Orpheus", while the Swedish word drängar is the plural of dräng, "farmhand".
The society was founded on 30 October 1853, when a dozen student singers gathered at the Hotel d'Upland in Uppsala to sing songs by Carl Michael Bellman. The idea to found a new singing society came at the singing of Bellman's Fredman's Epistle No. 14, Hör I Orphei Drängar ("Hear Ye, O Servants of Orpheus!"), from which the new society took its name.[1] The choir's 1988 album Quattro Stagioni contained their eponymous Epistle and one other (Vila Vid Denna Källa ), as well as four of Fredman's Songs.[2]
The composer Jacob Axel Josephson, since 1849 director musices of the university, was recruited as director of the choir in 1854. During the latter half of the 19th century, the choir went on tours abroad to Paris (1867, 1878, 1900), Berlin (1898) and other places.
During the 20th century, the choir was led from 1910 to 1947 by Hugo Alfvén (who was also director musices) and from 1951 to 1991 by Eric Ericson. From 1991 to 2008 the director was Robert Sund. He was succeeded by Cecilia Rydinger Alin.
Selected recordings
- OD Highlights BIS.
- Capricer med OD Vol.1 (1964-1969), Vol.2 (1970-1975), Vol.3 (1976-1981), Vol.4 (1982-1986), Vol.5 (1987-1990), Vol.6 (1991-1995), Vol.7 (1996-1999)
References
- ↑ "Från tidsfördriv till modern manskör" (in Swedish). Orphei Drängar. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
- ↑ "Orphei Drängar – Quattro Stagioni". Discogs. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
External links
- Orphei Drängar, official website
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