Emilie Holmberg facts for kids

Emilie Augusta Kristina Hammarskjöld (born May 6, 1821 – died March 26, 1854) was a talented Swedish composer and musician. She was also known as Emilie Holmberg. She performed as a singer and a pianist, and she taught music. Emilie was a member of the important Royal Swedish Academy of Music. She might have been the first Swedish woman artist to tour in the United States, even before the famous singer Jenny Lind.

Emilie's Early Life and Family

Emilie Holmberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Her father was Carl Christian Holmberg, a merchant, and her mother was Aurora Emelie Hellgren. Her parents separated when she was very young, in 1823. Emilie was raised by her mother, who was a successful businesswoman. Her mother even started and ran her own library!

Emilie's Musical Education

From an early age, Emilie's mother noticed her daughter's strong interest in music. She made sure Emilie received a good musical education.

Emilie's mother placed her in the care of the composer Eduard Brendler and his wife Ulrica. Emilie took music lessons from Erik Drake, who was a composer and music teacher. She also had singing lessons from Johan Peter Cronhamn, a composer and organist.

Starting Her Music Career in Sweden

In 1836, when Emilie was just fifteen years old, she published her first musical pieces. She wrote her own songs. She also created music for poems written by other Swedish authors like Julia Nyberg (who used the pen name Euphrosyne), Böttiger, and Runeberg. Many of her compositions became quite popular during her lifetime.

In 1838, Emilie also began performing as a singer and a pianist. She held public concerts where she showed off both of these talents. In 1841, she opened her own music school in Stockholm. Her mother supported her in this new venture. At her school, Emilie gave music lessons to others.

Her music career in Sweden was very successful. Because of her talent, she was chosen to be a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music on May 27, 1841. This was a great honor!

In 1843, she traveled to Paris, France, to study music further. She went with the poet Julia Nyberg.

Touring and Performing in the United States

When Emilie returned to Sweden in 1844, she married Peder Hjalmar Hammarskjöld. He owned a brass factory called Skultuna mässingsbruk. However, her new husband had serious financial problems. After they got married, they moved to the United States because of his debts.

Emilie Hammarskjöld went on a big tour across America and became very successful. In February 1845, she organized and performed a concert at Armory Hall in Washington, D.C. She sang and played the piano. Her success as both a singer and a pianist allowed her to tour many major cities in North America over the next few years. She received excellent reviews for her piano performance in New Orleans.

She was offered a job as an organist at St Peter Cathedral in Charleston, South Carolina, and she accepted it. While living in Charleston, she also started her own musical group, a philharmonic society. Sadly, she passed away not long after.

Emilie Hammarskjöld had three daughters. She died in 1854 in Charleston while giving birth to her fourth daughter.

Emilie's Musical Compositions

Emilie Holmberg composed seven collections of music. Five of these collections are still preserved today. Her music is written in a romantic style, with creative melodies and surprising musical twists.

Some of her most well-known compositions include:

•  »Hök och Dufva» (The Hawk and the Dove) – words by Dahlgren, music by Emilie Holmberg
•  »Göken gal i lunden» (The Cuckoo Sings in the Grove) – words by Dahlgren, music by Emilie Holmberg
•  »Ur stormarna ser jag en aflägsen hamn» (From the Storms I See a Distant Harbor) – words by Böttiger, music by Emilie Holmberg
•  »Sof, oroliga hjärta, sof» (Sleep, Restless Heart, Sleep) – words by Runeberg, music by Emilie Holmberg
•  »Till skogs en liten fågel flög» (To the Forest a Little Bird Flew) – words by Atterbom, music by Emilie Holmberg