Marias enmansorkester
Hedvig Maria Johansson (née Farwall; 5 March 1918 – 6 November 2002), commonly known as Marias enmansorkester (The Maria one-man orchestra) or Maria med orgeln (Maria with the organ), was a Swedish street missionary one-man band playing daily at Sergels torg in central Stockholm from 1972 until 2002.
Biography
[edit]Hedvig Maria Farwall was born in Ånimskog, Älvsborg County on 5 March 1918.[1] She grew up in a religious family where the father was a free churchpreacher.[2]
Married to Erik Johansson, she lived in Stockholm as an adult playing at weddings and prophane event, and was asked to play for a lottery booth at Sergels torg in central Stockholm in 1970.[3] The square itself had opened in 1967.[4] The year after, she returned for a eight days religious song meeting and was asked to come back to Sergels torg by people, which she did in between other events.[3]
On 4 September 1972, Johansson brought a cart with instruments to the square to play daily for passers-by.[5] The setup was a cart with three shelves for two electric pianos, amplifiers, microphone and loudspeakers as well as baskets for taped recordings and pamphlets.[6] Since 1979, it was motorised after approval from the National Swedish Road Safety Office.[3]
The repertoire consisted of Christian songs and hymns, among them her favourite "Jag har hört om en stad ovan molnen" and her own composition "Skyddsängeln".[7]
Johansson died in Hägersten, Stockholm, on 6 November 2002 at the age of 84.[1] Earlier in the year, she didn't have the possibility to celebrate 30 years as an artist due to health.[7] Her cart was donated to the Stockholm City Museum by her husband.[6] Her funeral ceremony was held at Uppståndelsekapellet at Skogskyrkogården in Stockholm.[3]
Johansson published an autobiography, Nardus och spikar, in 1986.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Maria Johansson". Svensk filmdatabas. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ "Maria Johansson". Nationalmuseum. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d Forsling, Jon (30 December 2024). "Hon spelade på Sergels torg i nära trettio år". Östgöta Correspondenten (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ Lundberg, Elina (2 July 2021). "Plattans klassiska plattor byts ut". Mitt i (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ Taawo, Amanda (24 November 2008). "Maria blev en kändis på "Plattan"". Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Maria Johanssons enmansorkester" (in Swedish). Stockholmskällan. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ a b Ovander, Petter (15 November 2002). "Maria Johansson med orgeln har avlidit". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ Ahlborn, Kenneth (29 May 2011). "Sångare värda salighet". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 May 2025.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1918 births
- 2002 deaths
- People from Åmål Municipality
- Music in Stockholm
- Performers of Christian music
- Musical groups established in 1972
- Musical groups disestablished in 2002
- 1972 establishments in Sweden
- 2002 disestablishments in Sweden
- 21st-century disestablishments in Stockholm
- 20th-century Swedish singers
- 21st-century Swedish singers
- 1970s establishments in Stockholm