Svea Nordblad Welander facts for kids

Svea Goeta Nordblad Welander (born July 24, 1898 – died 1985) was a talented Swedish musician. She was a composer, played the organ, taught music, and played the viola. Svea was born in Linhamm, a part of Malmo, Sweden, into a big family with many siblings.

To save money for more schooling, Svea started working in 1914. She played the piano for silent movies in a cinema. She studied music in Malmo and later in Copenhagen, Denmark. Some of her important teachers were John Heinze, Henrik Knudsen, Lars-Erik Larsson, and Sten Broman. She later became a member of the Society of Swedish Composers, a group for Swedish composers.

From 1927 to 1964, Svea worked as a church organist in Bjurlov. She also taught music at Hyilan Folk High School for 18 years. From 1927 to 1935, she taught piano at a special music school called the Music Conservatory in Malmo. She left this job when she married another composer, Waldemar Welander. They had a daughter named Monica. Svea published her music using both her maiden name, Nordblad, and her married name, Welander. Svea and Waldemar also helped start Akarp's orchestra, where Svea played the viola for many years.

What Kind of Music Did Svea Write?

Svea Welander wrote many different kinds of music. She composed pieces for small groups of instruments, for orchestras, and for singers.

Music for Small Groups of Instruments

Svea wrote many pieces for a few instruments playing together. This is called chamber music.

• Burlesque Melody (for flute, clarinet, and bassoon)
• Choral Preludes (for organ)
• Dialogue and Fugue (for two woodwind instruments)
• Divertimento (for clarinet, violin, and cello)
• Humoresque (for violin and piano; written in 1942)
• Mazurka No. 2 (for violin, cello, and piano)
• Monica's Mazurka (for violin, cello, and piano) – named after her daughter!
• Preludium (for clarinet; written in 1962)
• Preludium (for flute, clarinet, and bassoon; written in 1966)
• Preludium (for clarinet or saxophone trio)
• Preludium on a Synagogue Theme (for three wind instruments; written in 1955)
• Sonatina (for clarinet and bassoon; written in 1966)
• Sonatina (for piano)
• Sonatina (for viola and piano; written in 1945)
• Sonatina in Old Style (for clarinet, violin, and cello)
• String Quartet No. 1 (for four string instruments)
• Trio (for violin, cello, and piano)
• Waltz Serenade (for piano)

Music for Orchestras

Svea also composed music for larger groups of instruments, like a string orchestra.

• Scherzando (for string orchestra)
• Serenade (for string orchestra)
• Small Suite (for string orchestra)
• Waltz Serenade

Music for Voices

Svea wrote many songs and pieces for singers, sometimes with instruments and sometimes with a choir.

• Abide with Me (with words by Henry Francis Lyte; written in 1949)
• Arioso (with words by Eric Rembert; for a soprano singer and string orchestra; written in 1956)
• "Bathing" (for voice and piano)
• Berceuse (with words by Lope de Vega; for women's choir and piano; written in 1956)
• Cantata (for a solo singer and choir)
• Cantata for the Installation of the Dean (for soprano, tenor, choir, and strings)
• "Evening" (for voice and piano; written in 1935)
• "For a Wonderful Star" (for voice and piano; written in 1956)
• Hymn (for solo voice, women's choir, and organ; written in 1943)
• "I Asked a Star" (for voice and piano; written in 1948)
• "Impromptu" (with words by Gabriel Jonsson; for voice and piano)
• "In Bethlehem's Stable" (for voice and piano)
• "Like Me So Much" (with words by Axel Ahlman; for voice and piano; written in 1948)
• Little Cantata (with words by H. Schiller; for solo voice, women's choir, and organ; written in 1943)
• "Poor Son" (for voice and piano)
• Rain (with words by Sten Gelander; for soprano singer and strings; written in 1945)
• Requiem: The Last Journey (with words by Axel Ahlman; for solo voice, choir, and orchestra)
• "Tree of Life" (for voice and piano; written in 1948)
• Two Indian Hymns (for mixed choir; written in 1953)
• "Under the Lilacs" (for voice and piano)
• "Wedding Song" (with words by Eric Rembert; for voice and organ; written in 1947)
• "With Many Colored Lights" (with words by Nils Ferlin; for voice and piano)