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<> Their Legacy "Messiah" Performances <>
Their “1882 on . . .” Bethany College Handel’s “Messiah" Performances
More than any other ongoing event in Lindsborg having the greatest impact on Lydia's and Emil's lives as well as their friends and their contemporaries would have to have been the performances by Bethany College Oratorio Society of George Frederic Handel's 1741 Messiah in the early years during Easter (and later on Palm Sunday as well) and that of Johann Sebastian Bach's The Passion of our Lord According to Saint Matthew that became the regular Good Friday oratorio in 1929.
Since the Messiah performances inception in 1881, this sacred music has continued to be performed since its first performance in 1882. It was first performed over a period of a week with the help of visiting conductor Joseph E. Osborn and the orchestra from Rock Island, Illinois, for the Kansas Smoky Valley choir of about 100 which was composed of farmers, shopkeepers, teachers, and homemakers the majority of which were members of Lindsborg's Bethany Lutheran Church with smaller numbers from neighboring Lutheran and other protestant churches. Lindsborg at that time had a population of around 470.
Beginning about two weeks before Easter in 1882, the performances consisted of those held at Bethany Lutheran Church on March 28; Salemsborg Lutheran Church on March 29; Salina Opera House on March 30; McPherson Opera House on March 31 and Freemont Lutheran Church on April 2. This sizeable singing group, just recently formed, was noted then as the Messiah Chorus, and traveled with the orchestra by horse-drawn lumber wagon or train to the venues.
Those to thank and to recognize, for these most wonderful ongoing inspirational performances through 2021, would be former Bethany Lutheran Church Pastor Olof Olsson, founder of the Church and Lindsborg, who at the time was a Theology Professor at Augustana College and Theology Seminary of Rock Island, Illinois, and graduate of the same Rock Island institution Carl Aaron Swensson, second pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church, and founder and president of Bethany College. Most importantly, however, the success for the development of the actual singing of the Messiah and of the performances themselves during these earliest times would go to his wife, Mrs. Alma Christina Lind Swensson, a gifted musician and singer who began her career as an organist at age 12 for the Moline, Illinois, Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church where the Augustana faculty and students worshipped.
Mrs. Alma Swensson, in fact, taught this devout Kansas Smoky Valley choir which would become known as the Messiah Chorus how to sing Handel's greatest oratorio. This was done by her starting each session with prayer! Forty years later, she would disclaim any credit for the great national and international acclaim of these performances to a New York Times reporter. She simply explained to him that "the Christian faith of the people of Lindsborg inspires them to sing." "The chorus is an expression of the faith of my people. Without inspiration from God, it would fail.' " **
These annual Messiah performances have continued during Holy Easter Week with few exceptions, when America entered World War I in 1917 and during the worldwide Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. Yet, in these two instances, the performances were later held in their respective years at the Messiah Auditorium also known as the Ling Auditorium that had a seating capacity of 4,000. Even with the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic, the Easter Messiah was performed later in October, and in 2021 it was able to be performed on Easter, with both performances following all required pandemic protocols. The silver lining during this deadly pandemic season has been the creation of a new world stage for a new world audience for the Lindsborg Bethany College Oratorio Society through "live streaming" from the Presser Hall Copley Stage.
In addition, to their early years of performing the Messiah at Easter, and for decades on Palm Sunday as well, was the founding of the Midwest Art Exhibition in 1899 by Swedish artists Birger Sandzén, Carl Lotavé and G. N. Malm. The idea began in the Old Main dorm room belonging to Sandzén. Now, after various Exhibition venues on the college campus, it is held at the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery. On Good Friday in 1929, Johann Sebastian Bach's The Passion of our Lord According to St. Matthew repertoire was introduced by Conductor Dr. Hagbard Brase at the dedication of the Presser Hall, the new venue then for these performances. It had a seating capacity of about 1,800. The combination of these Holy Easter Week performances, other concerts, and the art exhibition is referred to as the "Messiah Festival of the Arts." This is the most far-reaching Christian and cultural week of the year for Bethany College and Lindsborg, Kansas.
Since the Messiah performances inception in 1881, this sacred music has continued to be performed since its first performance in 1882. It was first performed over a period of a week with the help of visiting conductor Joseph E. Osborn and the orchestra from Rock Island, Illinois, for the Kansas Smoky Valley choir of about 100 which was composed of farmers, shopkeepers, teachers, and homemakers the majority of which were members of Lindsborg's Bethany Lutheran Church with smaller numbers from neighboring Lutheran and other protestant churches. Lindsborg at that time had a population of around 470.
Beginning about two weeks before Easter in 1882, the performances consisted of those held at Bethany Lutheran Church on March 28; Salemsborg Lutheran Church on March 29; Salina Opera House on March 30; McPherson Opera House on March 31 and Freemont Lutheran Church on April 2. This sizeable singing group, just recently formed, was noted then as the Messiah Chorus, and traveled with the orchestra by horse-drawn lumber wagon or train to the venues.
Those to thank and to recognize, for these most wonderful ongoing inspirational performances through 2021, would be former Bethany Lutheran Church Pastor Olof Olsson, founder of the Church and Lindsborg, who at the time was a Theology Professor at Augustana College and Theology Seminary of Rock Island, Illinois, and graduate of the same Rock Island institution Carl Aaron Swensson, second pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church, and founder and president of Bethany College. Most importantly, however, the success for the development of the actual singing of the Messiah and of the performances themselves during these earliest times would go to his wife, Mrs. Alma Christina Lind Swensson, a gifted musician and singer who began her career as an organist at age 12 for the Moline, Illinois, Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church where the Augustana faculty and students worshipped.
Mrs. Alma Swensson, in fact, taught this devout Kansas Smoky Valley choir which would become known as the Messiah Chorus how to sing Handel's greatest oratorio. This was done by her starting each session with prayer! Forty years later, she would disclaim any credit for the great national and international acclaim of these performances to a New York Times reporter. She simply explained to him that "the Christian faith of the people of Lindsborg inspires them to sing." "The chorus is an expression of the faith of my people. Without inspiration from God, it would fail.' " **
These annual Messiah performances have continued during Holy Easter Week with few exceptions, when America entered World War I in 1917 and during the worldwide Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. Yet, in these two instances, the performances were later held in their respective years at the Messiah Auditorium also known as the Ling Auditorium that had a seating capacity of 4,000. Even with the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic, the Easter Messiah was performed later in October, and in 2021 it was able to be performed on Easter, with both performances following all required pandemic protocols. The silver lining during this deadly pandemic season has been the creation of a new world stage for a new world audience for the Lindsborg Bethany College Oratorio Society through "live streaming" from the Presser Hall Copley Stage.
In addition, to their early years of performing the Messiah at Easter, and for decades on Palm Sunday as well, was the founding of the Midwest Art Exhibition in 1899 by Swedish artists Birger Sandzén, Carl Lotavé and G. N. Malm. The idea began in the Old Main dorm room belonging to Sandzén. Now, after various Exhibition venues on the college campus, it is held at the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery. On Good Friday in 1929, Johann Sebastian Bach's The Passion of our Lord According to St. Matthew repertoire was introduced by Conductor Dr. Hagbard Brase at the dedication of the Presser Hall, the new venue then for these performances. It had a seating capacity of about 1,800. The combination of these Holy Easter Week performances, other concerts, and the art exhibition is referred to as the "Messiah Festival of the Arts." This is the most far-reaching Christian and cultural week of the year for Bethany College and Lindsborg, Kansas.
- The patrons of a Holy Easter Messiah on their way to Messiah Auditorium later referred to as Ling Auditorium -
Source: Lydia Sohlberg Deere
Fourth Swedish American Bethany College President Emory Lindquist gives us the background for these performances of this inspirational emotionally moving music in his book, Bethany in Kansas, the history of a college, in Chapter 10, The Lindsborg "Messiah" Tradition, pages 151-152 with the following:
"The achievement in music and art has identified Bethany College as a unique and distinctive collegiate institution with great cultural resources. National attention has come to the College and to the Lindsborg community through the annual “Messiah” festival and the Mid-West Art Exhibition during Holy Week. Thousands of people have made annual pilgrimages to the Smoky Valley of Central Kansas for decades in order to share in these religious and cultural events. Such designations for the college community as “America’s Bayreuth” and the “Oberammergau of the Plains” suggest symbols that are distinctive historically and currently. Twin-born with the founding of the College in 1881 was the Handel Oratorio Society which became known as the Bethany College Oratorio Society. The popular reference to this distinguished organization identifies it as the Lindsborg “Messiah” chorus. Endowing the music of the oratorio with deep meaning is the great spiritual message based upon the abiding promises of the Holy Scriptures.
"The threads of that story are associated like so many in the history of Lindsborg with Pastor Olof Olsson. The day was Friday, April 4, 1879, when the Lindsborg pioneer pastor, then on a trip to Europe, arrived in London. When reading a newspaper, he learned that Handel’s Messiah under the direction of Sir Michael Costa was to be presented in Exeter Hall that evening. Immediately he decided to attend the concert and engaged a room near Exeter Hall. Olsson had only modest financial resources and purchased the cheapest ticket available, which, however, gave him a good seat on the balcony directly across from the chorus.
"At 7:30 p.m. Sir Michael Costa picked up his baton and for almost three hours Olsson sat spellbound as the chorus and orchestra of six hundred presented Handel’s inspiring oratorio. An Englishman seated by Olsson shared his score of the Messiah so the visitor from America could closely follow the rendition. It was a thrilling experience from the “Overture” to the “Amen” as recorded by Olsson:
‘I will not even attempt to describe it all for that is beyond my power. At times I was so carried away that I scarcely knew myself. Well, my friends may smile at my childishness. Let them smile. But I don’t know what sort of man he would be, who had no feeling for beautiful spiritual music. Among other things sung were the names of our Saviour given in the ninth chapter of Isaiah: Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God. When the great chorus and the full orchestra intoned those words, I was so enchanted that I feared the shock would be too much for me. That evening in Exeter Hall will stand out, I can well say, as the most beautiful memory of the journey.’
"Olsson left Exeter Hall that evening with a great song in his heart. It was more than an episode, because his thoughts came back to it again and again. When he returned to Augustana College, he communicated his great enthusiasm for the Messiah to friends there. The response was encouraging. A small chorus we assembled for rehearsals. On April 11, 1881, the first rendition was presented at Moline, Illinois. A splendid oratorio tradition at Augustana College had been launched.
"Present in the audience, at the rendition of Handel’s great oratorio by the Augustana chorus at the First Congregational Church, Moline, Illinois, during the commencement activities in 1881, was Carl Swensson. When he returned to Lindsborg following this “Messiah” rendition, he was full of enthusiasm for Handel’s great composition. Mrs. Swensson, a talented musician, was also eager to bring the Messiah to Lindsborg. Plans were discussed in the first instance with the choir of the Bethany Lutheran Church, where the Swenssons were dearly beloved by the membership. The possibility of organizing a chorus was suggested to the pastors and choir members of neighboring congregations. The response was encouraging although this seemed to be a big venture. Carl Swensson was accustomed to attempting great things, and plans moved forward with certainty."
For Handel's "Messiah" & Bach's "St. Matthew Passion" ~ Described for viewers unfamiliar with these oratorios, go HERE.
For more on "the beginnings" of this incredible story of "sacred music" in Lindsborg and at Bethany College, go HERE to " Olsson's Influence, the Swenssons,' Musicians,' and Singers,' "Messiah" -- 1882 on …"
For a list of the "world renown" national and international performers beginning in 1899 during the annual Messiah Festival of Easter Holy Week at Lindsborg's Bethany College during Lydia's and Emil's time and beyond to 1997 at New York's Carnegie Hall, click on Mrs. Swensson's portrait.
"The achievement in music and art has identified Bethany College as a unique and distinctive collegiate institution with great cultural resources. National attention has come to the College and to the Lindsborg community through the annual “Messiah” festival and the Mid-West Art Exhibition during Holy Week. Thousands of people have made annual pilgrimages to the Smoky Valley of Central Kansas for decades in order to share in these religious and cultural events. Such designations for the college community as “America’s Bayreuth” and the “Oberammergau of the Plains” suggest symbols that are distinctive historically and currently. Twin-born with the founding of the College in 1881 was the Handel Oratorio Society which became known as the Bethany College Oratorio Society. The popular reference to this distinguished organization identifies it as the Lindsborg “Messiah” chorus. Endowing the music of the oratorio with deep meaning is the great spiritual message based upon the abiding promises of the Holy Scriptures.
"The threads of that story are associated like so many in the history of Lindsborg with Pastor Olof Olsson. The day was Friday, April 4, 1879, when the Lindsborg pioneer pastor, then on a trip to Europe, arrived in London. When reading a newspaper, he learned that Handel’s Messiah under the direction of Sir Michael Costa was to be presented in Exeter Hall that evening. Immediately he decided to attend the concert and engaged a room near Exeter Hall. Olsson had only modest financial resources and purchased the cheapest ticket available, which, however, gave him a good seat on the balcony directly across from the chorus.
"At 7:30 p.m. Sir Michael Costa picked up his baton and for almost three hours Olsson sat spellbound as the chorus and orchestra of six hundred presented Handel’s inspiring oratorio. An Englishman seated by Olsson shared his score of the Messiah so the visitor from America could closely follow the rendition. It was a thrilling experience from the “Overture” to the “Amen” as recorded by Olsson:
‘I will not even attempt to describe it all for that is beyond my power. At times I was so carried away that I scarcely knew myself. Well, my friends may smile at my childishness. Let them smile. But I don’t know what sort of man he would be, who had no feeling for beautiful spiritual music. Among other things sung were the names of our Saviour given in the ninth chapter of Isaiah: Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God. When the great chorus and the full orchestra intoned those words, I was so enchanted that I feared the shock would be too much for me. That evening in Exeter Hall will stand out, I can well say, as the most beautiful memory of the journey.’
"Olsson left Exeter Hall that evening with a great song in his heart. It was more than an episode, because his thoughts came back to it again and again. When he returned to Augustana College, he communicated his great enthusiasm for the Messiah to friends there. The response was encouraging. A small chorus we assembled for rehearsals. On April 11, 1881, the first rendition was presented at Moline, Illinois. A splendid oratorio tradition at Augustana College had been launched.
"Present in the audience, at the rendition of Handel’s great oratorio by the Augustana chorus at the First Congregational Church, Moline, Illinois, during the commencement activities in 1881, was Carl Swensson. When he returned to Lindsborg following this “Messiah” rendition, he was full of enthusiasm for Handel’s great composition. Mrs. Swensson, a talented musician, was also eager to bring the Messiah to Lindsborg. Plans were discussed in the first instance with the choir of the Bethany Lutheran Church, where the Swenssons were dearly beloved by the membership. The possibility of organizing a chorus was suggested to the pastors and choir members of neighboring congregations. The response was encouraging although this seemed to be a big venture. Carl Swensson was accustomed to attempting great things, and plans moved forward with certainty."
For Handel's "Messiah" & Bach's "St. Matthew Passion" ~ Described for viewers unfamiliar with these oratorios, go HERE.
For more on "the beginnings" of this incredible story of "sacred music" in Lindsborg and at Bethany College, go HERE to " Olsson's Influence, the Swenssons,' Musicians,' and Singers,' "Messiah" -- 1882 on …"
For a list of the "world renown" national and international performers beginning in 1899 during the annual Messiah Festival of Easter Holy Week at Lindsborg's Bethany College during Lydia's and Emil's time and beyond to 1997 at New York's Carnegie Hall, click on Mrs. Swensson's portrait.
Source: Bethany College Forget-Me-Not 1902
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
