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Carl Michael Bellman

Carl Michael Bellman (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈkɑːɭ ˈmîːkaɛl ˈbɛ̌lːman] (listen); 4 February 1740 – 11 February 1795) was a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, poet, and entertainer. He is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a powerful influence in Swedish music, as well as in Scandinavian literature, to this day. He has been compared to Shakespeare, Beethoven, Mozart, and Hogarth, but his gift, using elegantly rococo classical references in comic contrast to sordid drinking and prostitution—at once regretted and celebrated in song—is unique.

Bellman is best known for two collections of poems set to music, Fredman's epistles (Fredmans epistlar) and Fredman's songs (Fredmans sånger). Each consists of about 70 songs. The general theme is drinking, but the songs "most ingeniously" combine words and music to express feelings and moods ranging from humorous to elegiac, romantic to satirical.

Bellman's patrons included King Gustav III of Sweden, who called him a master improviser. Bellman's songs continue to be performed and recorded by musicians from Scandinavia and in other languages, including English, French, German, Italian, and Russian. Several of his songs including Gubben Noak and Fjäriln vingad are known by heart by many Swedes. His legacy further includes a museum in Stockholm and a society that fosters interest in him and his work.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 1, 1740 (Maria Magdalena parish), Died February 11, 1795 (Klara Parish)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1901 - 1917

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]972 7-in. 10/8/1901 Käraste broder Swedish Quartet Vocal quartet composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3590 10-in. 10/8/1901 Käraste bröder Swedish Quartet Vocal quartet composer  
Victor B-2387 10-in. 3/21/1905 Simple Simon Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor B-3531 10-in. 7/12/1906 Drick ur ditt glas Joel Mossberg Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor B-10637 10-in. 6/30/1911 Fredmans epistel no. 16 Torkel Scholander Male vocal solo, with lute composer  
Victor B-10642 10-in. 6/30/1911 Fredmans epistel no. 22 : Til the Nybyggare på Gröna Lund Torkel Scholander Male vocal solo, with lute composer  
Victor B-10643 10-in. 6/30/1911 Fredmans sång, no. 35 Torkel Scholander Male vocal solo, with lute composer  
Columbia 45768 10-in. 6/14/1915 Hvila vid denna källa Swedish Glee Club of Brooklyn Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied composer  
Columbia 43862 10-in. February 1916 Undan ur vägen Oscar Bergström Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 43863 10-in. February 1916 Hör pukor och trumpeter Oscar Bergström Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 44061 10-in. either 1916 or 1917 Skratta, mina barn och varen glada Joel Mossberg Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone 777ae 10-in. Sept. 1909 Spinn, spinn Torsten Lennartsson Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Gramophone 842ah 10-in. Oct. 1910 Lik en herdinna Torsten Lennartsson Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Gramophone 6960e 10-in. Oct. 1907 Hvem är som ej vår broder minns Grammophon Kvartetten Vocal quartet composer  
Gramophone 7928e 10-in. Mar. 1908 Fjäriln vingad syns på Haga Grammophon Kvartetten Vocal quartet composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Bellman, Carl Michael," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102389.

Bellman, Carl Michael. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102389.

"Bellman, Carl Michael." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102389

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