Harry and Valter Moberg were twin brothers that specialized in the construction and restoration of old organs in churches across Scandinavia.
The Brothers Moberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | Harry: March 5, 1915, Sandviken Valter: March 5, 1915, Sandviken |
| Died | Harry: March 15, 1992 (aged 77) Valter: December 21, 2006 (aged 91) |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Other names | Bröderna Moberg |
| Occupation | Organ Builders |
| Known for | Restoration work on historical organs |
Background
editThe twin brothers were born in Sandviken, Sweden on March 5, 1915. Their parents, Engelbert and Alida Moberg, had musical interests and played a variety of instruments. Their older sibling Elsa, an educated pianist, was married to violinist John Vesterlund, who began organ building in the 1930s and allowed the Moberg brothers to learn from him. In 1933, Vesterlund's company began restoration work on an organ in Løvstabruk, built by Johan Niclas Cahman in 1728. The experience influenced the brothers' interest in historical organs. They met the organ historians Bertil Wester and later Einar Erici who were particularly interested in the mapping of old organs in Sweden.
The Moberg brothers started their own organ building company in 1941, becoming pioneers in restoring organs with historic value in Sweden. There were about 4000 organs in Sweden by 1950 having grown from 30 when record keeping began in the 1600s,[1] 200 of which were classified as historically valuable by the Swedish National Heritage Board. With their co-worker Ville Pettersson, they have restored about 90 historical organs across Scandinavia together. Among their most famous works is the restoration of the organ at Åtvid's old church built by Jonas Wistenius in 1751, which was reconstructed to 70 percent. Albert Schweitzer has played on the restored organ and expressed his opinion positively about the reconstruction. The organ in Seglora church in Skansen, Stockholm was restored in 1963. The organ was built by Jonas Ekengren in 1777. The organ in Tjällmo church, built by Isac Risberg 1710, was restored in 1968.
The brothers recorded the sound of several historic organs and filmed several of their restorations.[2] They also published articles in Church Musicians Magazine and Organ forums.
The work of the Moberg brothers was carried out on the basis of their conservation idea: "The purpose of preserving old church organs is to produce a complete line of organs from past time, where each preserved organ work must be a silent representative of its era and show as much as possible its master's personal and artistic characteristic, such as they were at the time of construction."
They documented all of their restorations and other major works with photographs and explanatory text about the performed works.
Their archives are currently available at the Swedish National Heritage Board in Stockholm.
Works
edit
Sweden
edit
| Location | Year | Constructed by |
|---|---|---|
| Alvesta Church | 1964 | Pehr Schiörlin (1778) |
| Angarn Church | 1970 | Pehr Strand (1849) |
| Asks Church | 1950 | Olof Hammarberg (1929) |
| Avesta Church | 1989 | A Magnussons Orgelbryggeri (1938) |
| Balingsta Church | 1974 | Åkerman & Lund (1898) |
| Björskog Church | 1988 | Eskil Lundén (1914) |
| Bladåker Church | 1952 | Johan Lambert Larsson (1842) |
| Botilsäter Church | 1974 | A P Lokrantz (1921)(facade from 1882) |
| Brunnby Church | 1980 | Setterquist & Son 1912 |
| Bäckebo (Uppland) | 1952 | Johannes Magnusson 1848 |
| Bälinge Church, Uppland | 1955 | Eisenmenger & Herman 1632. Facade by Mårten Redtmer who decorated the Vasa |
| Böhmiska positivitet, Music and Theater Museum, Stockholm | 1964 | Anton Streit (ca. 1700) |
| Börje Church | 1958 | Daniel Wallenström (1856) |
| Djursdala Church | 1965 | Anders Jonsson 1841 Removal of crescendo cabinet |
| Edebo Church (Stockholm Municipality) | 1951 och 1983 | Built after recommendation by Berg in Alunda. Removed 1926, reinstated 1951 in its original state by the Moberg brothers. |
| Old Church of Enviken | 1950 | Gustaf Wilhelm Becker (1872) |
| Eskilsäters Church | 1949 | Johan Everhardt Jr (1820) |
| Flisby Church | 1974 | Sven Nordström 1856 |
| Folkströms Chapel (Hällestads Parish) | 1953 | Johan Agerwall (1700) |
| Folkärna Church | 1984 | Johannes Magnusson 1931 Facade from 1853 |
| Forssa Church (Södermanland) | 1984 | Setterquist & Son 1879 |
| Gammalkils Church | 1975 | Pehr Schiörlin 1806 (Albert Schweitzer played the organ) |
| Garpenbergs Church | 1969 | Setterquist & Son 1904 (Organ above the altar) |
| Grythyttans Church | 1987 | Setterquist & Son 1904. Facade from1780 |
| Trinity Church Gävle | 1955 | Setterquist & Son 1889, John Vesterlund 1939 |
| Vasa School, Gävle | 1983 | Pehr Larsson Åkerman 1876 |
| Immanuel Church, Gävle | 1962 | E H Eriksson 1906 |
| Soldiers Church, Gävle | 1984 | E H Eriksson (1918) |
| Harakers Church | 1967 | Pehr Lund (1930) |
| Hjälmseryds Old Church | 1953 | Johannes Magnusson 1850~ |
| Häradshammars Church | 1954 | Jonas Fredric Schiörlin 1821 |
| Jättendals Church | 1963 | Lars Niclas Nordquist 1839 |
| Trinity Church, Karlskrona | 1961-1962 | Pehr Zacharias Strand (1827) |
| Kristinehamns Church | 1982 | Setterquist & Son (1921) (Facade from 1858) |
| Kuddby Church | 1954-1955 | Sven & Erik Nordström (1882) |
| Kvarsebo Church | 1949, 1974 | Johan Lund (1852) |
| Lannaskede Old Church | 1952 | Lars Solberg (1734) |
| Linköping Cathedral | 1975-1976 | Setterquist & Son (1929) (Facade from 1723) |
| Långseruds Church | 1982 | Eskil Lundén (1917) |
| Njutångers Church | 1940~ | Th J Trayser XXXX harmonium |
| Normlösa Church | 1954 | Sven Nordström (1854) |
| Norra Solberga Church | 1972 | Nils Ahlstrand (1836) |
| Nyeds Church | 1955-1956 | Elias Witting (1707 Choir Organ) |
| Nysätra Church, Uppland | 1973 | Per Gullbergsson & Jonas Wengström (1839) |
| Oslättfors Chapel | 1961 | Brothers Moberg (1944) |
| Rasbokil Church | 1971 | Pehr Zacharias Strand (1829) |
| Rönö Church | 1975 | Gustaf Andersson & Son (1855) |
| Sandviken Baptist Church | 1977-1978 | Olof Hedlund (1739) |
| Sandvik Church | 1976 | Åkerman & Lund (1931) |
| Seglora Church, Skansen, Stockholm | 1962-1963 | Jonas Ekengren (1778) |
| Skirö Church | 1961 | Johannes Magnusson (1857) |
| Skällvik Church | 1964 | Jonas Wistenius (1762) |
| Snavlunda Church | 1980 | Åkerman & Lund (1943) |
| Svartnäs Church | 1956 | Jonas Wängström (1848) |
| Svinnegarns Church | 1957 | Carl Wåhlström 1769 |
| Svärdsjö Church | 1964 | Åkerman & Lund (1943) Facade from 1738 |
| Sätra brunn Church | 1953 | Daniel Wallenström (1867) |
| Söderbärke Church | 1956 | Niclas Furtwängler & Hammer (1923) (facade from 1738) |
| Söderbärke Church | 1956 | Niclas Söderström (1795) |
| Teda Church | 1949 | Pehr Niclas Forssberg (1785) |
| Tjällmo Church | 1968 - 1969 | Isac Risberg (1710) |
| Trönö Old Church | 1968 | P Z Strand 1800 (Pehr Zacharias Strand) |
| Trönö New Church | 1971 | Åkerman & Lund (1895) |
| Tåby Church | 1954 | Sven Nordström (1847) |
| Ulrika Church | 1970 | Johan Niclas Cahman (1734) |
| Utö Church | 1972 | Olof Hedlund (1745) |
| Vallerstads Church | 1950 | Nils Ahlstrand (1841) |
| Valö Church | 1971 | Gustaf Andersson (1831) |
| Venjans Church | 1990 | Setterquist & Son (1917) |
| Virestad organ in Smålands museum, Växjö | 1953 | Hans Heinrich Cahman (1690) |
| Voxna Church | 1988 | Setterquist & Son (1888) |
| Voxtorps Church, Jönköping | 1959 | Johan Nikolaus Söderling (1852) |
| Vårdinge Church | 1979 | Setterquist & Son (1938) (facade from 1844) |
| Värmskogs Church | 1959-1960 | E A Setterquist (1857) |
| Värmskogs Parish House | 1961 | Nyströms harmonium (1869) |
| Västra Eneby Church | 1975 | Sven Nordström (1850) |
| Yxnerums Church | 1959 | C M Ringström (1826. Inspection and removal of crescendo cabinet) |
| Åtvids Old Church | 1957 | Jonas Wistenius (1751) (Reconstruction. Albert Schweitzer has played on the organ) |
| Österfärnebo Church | 1973 | E H Eriksson (1906) |
| Östervik Chapel, Kristinehamn | 1973 | Th J Trayser (1872 harmonium) |
| Östra Ryds Church, Östergötland | 1966 | Lars Strömblad (1777, reconstruction) |
| Östra Skrukeby Church | 1963 | Pehr Schiörlin (1794) |
| Östra Ämterviks Church | 1971 | Andreas Jönsson (1847) |
Norway
edit| Location | Year | Constructed by |
|---|---|---|
| First Methodist Church (Oslo) | 1987 | Jörgensen Orgelfabrik 1920 |
| Tvedestrand | 1983 | Olsen & Jörgensen (1920~) |
| Tylldalen | 1982 | (German Firm, 1920~) |
Finland
edit| Location | Year | Constructed by |
|---|---|---|
| Nagu | 1977 | Olof Schwan (1791) |
| Nystad | 1978 | Marcussen & Son (1865) |
Constructions
edit| Location | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Faringe Church | 1943 | |
| Gävle, Bomhus | 1957 | |
| Swedish Order of Freemasons, Gävle | 1957 | |
| Oslättsfors Chapel | 1944 | |
| Saint Anna | 1944 | Built together with John Vesterlund under the same company name AB Kyrkorglar |
| Uppsala Public School Seminarium | 1947 | Initiated by Oskar Sundström in 1946 and completed by the Brothers Moberg in 1947 |
Films
edit| Location | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seglora Church, Skansen, Stockholm | 1963 | |
| Tjällmo[3] | 1969 |
Sound Recordings
edit| Location | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tjällmo | 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 | |
| Brunnby | ||
| Hedlund Organ in Sandviken Inauguration [4] | 1979 | |
| Åtvid Old Church | 1957 | |
| Skällvik | 1969 | |
| Jonsered | Unknown | |
| Sandviken Church Radio Recordings | Unknown | |
| Häradshammar Folkström Chapel | Unknown | |
| Jonsberg | Unknown | |
| Haraker | 1961 | |
| Alvesta | Unknown | |
| Karlskrona Trinity Church | Unknown |
References
edit- ^ Swedish National Heritage Board, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statistics_on_Swedish_Orgels.jpg
- ^ The Brothers Moberg Seglora Film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKD_ZoPzzlU
- ^ "Tvillingarna och orgelbyggarna Moberg - Restaureringen av Tjällmoorgeln 1968" (in Swedish). Riksantikvarieämbetet. 25 November 2016.
- ^ Inauguration concert by Gotthard Arnér after restoration by the Brothers Moberg of the Hedlund organ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8iDjBIMcgI
