F. Melius Christiansen

F. Melius Christiansen
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Short Name: F. Melius Christiansen
Full Name: Christiansen, F. Melius (Fredrik Melius), 1871-1955
Birth Year: 1871
Death Year: 1955

F. Melius Christiansen (April 1, 1871-June 1, 1955) was a Norwegian-born violinist and choral conductor in the Lutheran choral tradition.

Fredrik Melius Christiansen, the son of a Norwegian factory worker, was born in Eidsvold, municipality in Akershus county, Norway and emigrated to the United States at the age of 17. He settled in Washburn, Wisconsin. He studied at Augsburg College. In 1897, he returned to Europe to study three years at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Leipzig, Germany.

In 1901, Christiansen was recruited by St. Olaf College president John N. Kildahl. The St. Olaf Choir was founded as an outgrowth of the St. John's Lutheran Church Choir in Northfield. For the next 30 years, Christiansen led the St. Olaf Choir, striving for perfect intonation, blend, diction and phrasing. He was a skilled conductor, directing bands and choirs alike. He assumed direction of the St. Olaf Band in 1903, and took the ensemble on tour to Norway in 1906 to play for King Haakon VII, making it the first college music ensemble to conduct a tour abroad. Though his first love was the violin, he received international fame as founding director of the St. Olaf Choir of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, USA from 1912 to 1944. Christiansen was considered a pioneer in the art of a cappella (unaccompanied) choral music. Christiansen composed and arranged over 250 musical selections and his choral techniques were spread throughout the U.S. by St. Olaf graduates. The great Christiansen choral tradition is a recognized feature of American Lutheranism.

Four of Dr. Christiansen's children survived to adulthood two of them adding their own legacy to the Christiansen tradition of choral music in America.

--en.wikipedia.org/wiki/


Tunes by F. Melius Christiansen (18)sort descendingAsInstancesIncipit
O LAMM GOTTES, UNSCHULDIGF. Melius Christiansen, 1871-1955 (Arranger)213555 65655 12342
GAA NU HEN OG GRAV MIN GRAVF. Melius Christiansen (Arranger)155432 21223 23645
HERR JESU CHRIST DICH ZU UNS WEND (13532)F. Melius Christiansen, 1871-1955 (Arranger)413532 34565 32117
AUS MEINES HERZENS GRUNDEF. Melius Christiansen (Arranger)111532 17123 53221
KUN ET SKRIDTF. Melius Christiansen, 1871-1955 (Composer)233333 56551 13333
LOBE DEN HERRENF. Melius Christiansen, 1871-1955 (Arranger)411532 17656 7121
LOBT GOTT IHR CHRISTENF. Melius Christiansen, 1871-1955 (Arranger)215555 65432 34566
VOM HIMMEL HOCHF. Melius Christiansen (Arranger)117675 67111 55345
[Din, o Jesus, din at være]F. Melius Christiansen (Arranger)112334 45553 23432
NEUMARKF. Melius Christiansen, 1871-1955 (Arranger)151232 12757 77651
NU RINDER SOLEN OPF. Melius Christiansen (Arranger)115432 35176 51543
[Lord Jesus, by thy passion] (11235)F. Melius Christiansen (Arranger)111235 21254 33225
INNSBRUCKF. Melius Christiansen, 1871-1955 (Harmonizer)732123 54334 5523
PAA GUD ALENEF. Melius Christiansen (Arranger)115432 15567 11543
PASSION CHORALE (Hassler)F. Melius Christiansen, 1871-1955 (Arranger)351765 45233 2121
STRAF MICH NICHTF. M. Christiansen, 1871-1955 (Harmonizer)433455 12367 13213
SUNRISE (Koralbog)F. Melius Christiansen (Arranger)2
WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTETF. Melius Christiansen, 1871-1955 (Arranger)315315 66556 71766
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