Emilie Hammarskjöld

Emilie Augusta Kristina Hammarskjöld, née Holmberg, (6 May 1821 – 26 March 1854) was a Swedish born, American composer, singer, pianist, music teacher and organist.

Life in Sweden

Emilie Holmberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden to merchant Carl Christian Holmberg and his wife Emelie Hellgren. She was taken under the care of composer Eduard Brendler and his wife Ulrica (Bouck) Brendler (1803-1841). She studied music with composer and musical instructor, Erik Drake (1788-1870) and singing from composer and organist Johan Peter Cronhamn (1803-1875). In 1836, she published her first compositions. She debuted as a concert singer and a pianist in 1838. In 1841, she founded her own music institute in Stockholm. The same year, she also made a study trip to Paris with the poet Julia Nyberg. She was elected into the Royal Swedish Academy of Music on 27 May 1841.[1] [2] [3]

Immigration

In 1844, she married Peder Hjalmar Hammarskjöld (1817-1861), estate-owner of the Skultuna mässingsbruk brass foundry. The same year, they emigrated to the United States because of her husband's creditors. Emilie Hammarskjöld made a grand tour through America and made a great success. She organized and performed a concert at Armory Hall in Washington, D.C. in February 1845, and was given a very good review during her performance as a pianist in New Orleans. After this, she was employed as an organist in Charleston, South Carolina. She also founded a philharmonic society in the city.

She composed seven collected works of which five are preserved. They are made in a romantic style with inventive melodies and surprising turns. Emilie Hammarskjöld was the mother of three daughters. She died in childbirth during the birth of her fourth daughter in 1854 in Charleston, South Carolina.[4]

References

  1. Holmberg, Emilie Augusta Christina (Wilhelmina Stålberg, P. G. Berg, "Anteckningar om svenska qvinnor /188")
  2. "Erik Drake". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  3. "Jöns (Johan) Peter Cronhamn". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  4. Holmberg, Emilie Augusta Kristina (Herman Hofberg, Frithiof Heurlin, Viktor Millqvist, Olof Rubenson, "Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon / I:509" 1906)

Other sources

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