Conductors of Lunds Studentsångförening
From	To	Name
1831	1835	Sven Lovén
1831	spring 1846	Otto Lindblad Otto Lindblad Otto Lindblad , was a Swedish composer. He is most famous for the musical score of Kungssången, the Swedish royal anthem....
autumn 1846	spring 1852	Wilhelm Borg
spring 1852	spring 1854	P. E. Backman
spring 1854	autumn 1855	Samuel E. V. Follin
spring 1856	autumn 1856	August Hammar
autumn 1856	spring 1859	C. G. von Sydow
autumn 1859	spring 1860	Ludvig Ljungman
spring 1860	autumn 1875	C. G. von Sydow
spring 1876	autumn 1885	Henrik Möller
spring 1886	spring 1887	Hugo Andersson
autumn 1887	autumn 1889	Emil Norrman
spring 1890	spring 1891	Henrik Möller
spring 1891	spring 1894	Alfred Berg
autumn 1894	autumn 1895	Josef Lind
spring 1896	spring 1896	Gustav F. Steiner
autumn 1896	spring 1925	Alfred Berg
autumn 1925	spring 1926	Yngve Plym Forshell
1926	1933	Emil Gagner
1933	1948	Josef Hedar
spring 1949	spring 1949	Bengt Franzén
autumn 1949	autumn 1950	Knut Borglin
1951	1971	Axel Melander
1972	1985	Folke Bohlin Folke Bohlin (musicologist) Folke Bohlin is a Swedish musicologist and choral conductor. His chief area of research is Swedish church music, particularly that after the Reformation, and he is a former Professor emeritus of musicology at Lund University.-Biography:...
1985	1987	Bengt Hall
1988	1999	Janåke Larson
2000	2007	Mats Paulson
spring 2008	spring 2008	Fredrik Malmberg
	|(acting conductor, spring concerts 2008)
summer/autumn 2008	July 2010	Tomas Caplin
autumn 2010		Johannes Nebel
	|(acting conductor, autumn 2010)
February 2011		Michael Bojesen

Lunds Studentsångförening (Lund University Male Voice Choir) (LSS) is a Swedish amateur choir

Choir

A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...

, which counts its history from 1831. Today one of Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

's top male choirs, the choir has assumed many different shapes during its history. Traditionally, most members have been students of Lund University

Lund University

Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...

 although there is no requirement of studying at the university to be able to join the choir.

In its home town, the choir is known for its two or three larger annual concerts (usually in May and December) and occasional smaller concerts, while regionally, the choir cooperates with the symphony orchestra of nearby Malmö

Malmö

Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...

. Nationally, finally, the choir is most known for its annual May 1 appearance at the stairs of the main building of the Lund University which is broadcast on national TV.

History

As the starting date of LSS is most often used November 20, 1831. This was the first time a male quartet appeared at a concert in Lund, although there had been more or less loosely organized exercises for a couple of years. In 1833, the name LSS is referred for the first time, although at this point in time it is an abbreviation of Lilla Sångsällskapet (The Small Song Society). Five years later, the constitution of Lunds Studentsångförening appeared.

From the beginning, Sven Lovén was the conductor of the choir with Otto Lindblad as his right hand, and it seems as if Lindblad gained the role as the choir's leader from 1835. The early repertoire consisted mainly of German songs mixed with a few contributions of Lindblad. Over the years, he would provide more and more compositions.

During this time, the choir consisted of about 60 singers, with many of them also teaming up in various quartets. One of these was Lundakvartetten (the Lund Quartet) which consisted of Lindblad and three other singers. In 1846, this quartet embarked on the first tour made by a choir or quartet in Sweden, the purpose being to raise money to the building of a new home for Akademiska Föreningen (the Academic Society) in Lund. The journey was made on foot and reached as far as Stockholm

Stockholm

Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

 and Göteborg and lasted from just after midsummer to early October. The money that had been raised was handed over to Akademiska Föreningen but since the amount was considered too small, Lindblad and his friends were accused of having had unnecessary expenses and were never thanked.

Angered by the accusations (the quartet had made the tour on their own initiative and without any funding), Lindblad left Lund for Mellby in 1847. During the autumn of 1846 (due to Lindblad being on tour with the quartet), the leadership of the choir had been assumed by Wilhelm Borg. Although not an exceptional talent like Lindblad, Borg is regarded as instrumental in the history of the choir simply for keeping it alive in the coming years. Borg was followed by a few short appearances of various conductors before C. G. von Sydow made his first appearance in 1856. He would come to lead LSS until 1875 with the exception of one year, and an attempt was made to put together an elite choir as a subset of the whole choir, to go to the 1867 World Fair in Paris

Exposition Universelle (1867)

The Exposition Universelle of 1867 was a World Exposition held in Paris, France, in 1867.-Conception:In 1864, Emperor Napoleon III decreed that an international exposition should be held in Paris in 1867. A commission was appointed with Prince Jerome Napoleon as president, under whose direction...

, but the plans fell through.

In 1876, however, younger singers managed to force into the position of conductor and leader the 24-year-old Henrik Möller. By singing less and practicing more, as the motto went, Möller gave the choir a new repertoire with artistic works such as cantates and works with orchestra, although he never left out Lindblad of the programme. The new efforts were both appreciated for the artistic up-lift as well as criticized for dropping (too much of) the nationalistic songs and what was perceived as typical student singing. The concept of an elite choir, as first conceived by von Sydow, was realized and tours were made in the years of 1878, 1882, and 1885. The elite choir, known as Lilla Kören (the Small Choir) would from now on be the face outwards for the choir, doing concerts and touring, while the larger, less skilled, choir would do rehearsals and social activities. At its fifty years anniversary at October 21, 1881, the choir inaugurated the premise in Akademiska Föreningen's house that was used for the weekly rehearsals until October 2010.

Following Möller in 1885, a long string of leaders came and went until Alfred Berg, known as Fader Berg (Father Berg), appeared in 1891. Making only a break for studies abroad during 1894 to 1896, Berg led the choir until 1925. The choir now received a much more stable organization, with a board consisting of chairman, vice chairman (always the conductor), a cashier and four regular members. Similarly, the elite choir Lilla Kören was given a much more solid ground with statutes about admission tests etc. that haven't changed much since. Many trips were made abroad, most notably the one to the Saint Louis World's Fair

Louisiana Purchase Exposition

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...

 in 1904.

In 1933, Josef Hedar became the choir's conductor after Emil Gagner. Giving more room to sacral music and introducing his own compositions, he renewed the repertoire. Traces of both of these elements can be found in today's appearances by the choir. In 1947, a USA tour was made with forty singers, but the controversies on who was to join and who should be left home made large parts of the choir so upset that LSS had pretty much disintegrated by the time the touring choir returned home. Hedar left the choir in 1948.

In 1951, Axel Melander appeared and revived the tours abroad and during the twenty years of his leadership, the choir regained its former level and status. Melander was supplanted by Folke Bohlin

Folke Bohlin (musicologist)

Folke Bohlin is a Swedish musicologist and choral conductor. His chief area of research is Swedish church music, particularly that after the Reformation, and he is a former Professor emeritus of musicology at Lund University.-Biography:...

 who made several changes to the organization and the programme of the choir. Using admission tests for new members and raising the tempo of the rehearsals, and thus the skill needed to be able to participate, the level of the main choir was significantly raised. At the same time Lilla Kören, which had previously been doing all the concerts and touring, was effectively turned into nothing but a society for singers who had been with the choir for a couple of years (they would still have to pass the admission tests to Lilla Kören).

Bohlin also introduced some of the annually returning concerts which still appear, such as Otto Lindblads dag (Otto Lindblad's day), to celebrate the founder, and the Lussikal which is performed early December and has a more common appeal to it than the artistic music performed otherwise.

As Bohlin left, Bengt Hall became the conductor of the choir. After only three years, however, he was supplanted by Janåke Larsson who led the choir through 1999, before Mats Paulson, who conducted the choir until his position expired with the ending of 2007. Mats had earlier announced that he would not continue as conductor, and during the spring 2008 the choir was conducted by Fredrik Malmberg.
From the summer 2008 the choir is conducted by Tomas Caplin. Tomas first concerts with LSS was at an international choir conductor seminar in Copenhagen on the 25th of July and a small concept concert on the 26th of July at an old military fort, flakfortet

Flakfortet

Flakfortet is a sea fortress located on the artificially built island, Saltholmreb, in Øresund between Copenhagen and Malmö. The island and fort are simply known as Flakfortet, the name of the island, Saltholmreb, is seldom used....

, outside Copenhagen in the Öresund

Oresund

The Sound , is the strait that separates the Danish island Zealand from the southern Swedish province of Scania. Its width is just at the narrowest point between Helsingør, Denmark, and Helsingborg, Sweden...

 strait.

After a successful tour to the World Choir Games

World Choir Games

The World Choir Games is the largest choir competition in the world. Organized for amateur choirs from all over the world, regardless of their country of origin, race, genre of music or artistic ambitions, its motto is "Singing together brings nations together"...

 in China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 in the summer 2010, where they won the male voice choir section and gold medals in that section and the contemporary music section, and praised concerts at Expo 2010

Expo 2010

Expo 2010, officially Expo 2010 Shanghai China was held on both banks of the Huangpu River in the city of Shanghai, China, from May 1 to October 31, 2010. It was a major World Expo in the tradition of international fairs and expositions, the first since 1992...

 and Jiaotong University

Jiaotong University

Jiaotong University, Jiao Tong University or Chiao Tung University , located at Shanghai, Tangshan and Peking during the early period of twentieth century, was the predecessor of the following universities:...

 in Shanghai

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

, in Beijing

Beijing

Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

 and Tianjin

Tianjin

' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...

, Thomas Caplin retired as conductor and was succeeded by acting conductor Johannes Nebel during the autumn 2010.

During autumn 2010 the choir seized the opportunity to acquire the Salvation Army's

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....

 old house in the centre of Lund. The acquisition was made possible by an earlier donation and the society now has its own house after 129 years in their old home, Sångsalen at Akademiska Föreningen next to the Lund University main building

Lund University

Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...

.

Awards

The choir was awarded Best Male Choir at the 6th World Choir Games 2010 in Shaoxing

Shaoxing

Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to the southwest, and Hangzhou to the west. It was once known as "越"...

, China.