Introduction

Carl Fleischhauer, photographer. *Danish Singing Society Harmonien rehearsing at Normennernes Singing Society Hall, Chicago.* 1977. Chicago Ethnic Arts Project Collection. Library of Congress American Folklife Center.

American Folklife Center collections documenting Danish expressive culture in Denmark and the United States represent the diversity of its expressive culture. Among its unique collections are early recordings of Danish Music and song collected by Percy Grainger in Denmark the 1920s; interviews and recordings of hymns of Danish Lutherans in Iowa made by Marcus Bach; recordings of Danish music and songs in Wisconsin; and documentation of a Danish singing group in Chicago made as part of the American Folklife Center's Chicago Ethnic Arts Project.

Chicago Ethnic Arts Project Collection

The Chicago Ethnic Arts Project survey was conducted in 1977 by the American Folklife Center at the request of the Illinois Arts Council to assess and document the status of ethnic art traditions in more than twenty ethnic communities in Chicago, and was jointly sponsored by both organizations. The collection includes photographs and recordings of a rehearsal by members of a Danish singing society as well as interviews with members of the group.

Explore the Chicago Ethnic Arts Project Collection
The collection consists of approximately 344 sound recordings, 14,141 photographs, 269 folders of manuscript materials, 2 videorecordings, publications, ephemera, administrative files, and field notes produced and collected during the 1977 Chicago Ethnic Arts Project field survey from 1976-1981; but primarily during fieldwork conducted by fourteen folklorists directed by the American Folklife Center in 197

Additional Collections of Interest

The following materials link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to digital content are provided when available.

Percy Grainger collection of Danish folk music and spoken word
Call Number: AFC 1949/017
Published/Created: 1949, 1922, 1925, 1927.
Collection of field recordings duplicated from fifty-five wax cylinders of Danish folk music, fiddle tunes, and tales recorded by Percy Grainger and Evald Tang Kristensen in Jutland, Denmark, in 1922, 1925, and 1927.
Marcus Bach "Preserving Iowa's religious heritage" collection, part 2
Call Number: AFC 1944/011
Published/Created: 1943
Collection of field recordings of hymns sung by Danish Lutheran, Welsh Presbyterian, Czech Presbyterian, and German Lutheran congregations at various locations; plus hymns, a litany, and parts of the office sung by Trappist monks at New Melleray, Iowa, recorded by Marcus Bach and Addison Alspach in September, October and November 1943. Includes several interviews with pastors and ministers of the congregations. Collection includes recording logs and notes, 6 pages.
Marcus Bach "Preserving Iowa's religious heritage" collection, part 3
Call Number: AFC 1945/013
Published/Created: 1943-1944
The recordings in this group form part of the project field recordings. These include congregational singing and interviews with clergy and church members collected by Marcus Bach in 1943-1945. Groups recorded include Presbyterians, African Americans, Norwegian Lutherans, Danish Lutherans, Bohemian Czech clergy; Swedish Lutherans; and a U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School choral group. Interviews were conducted with Miss Dawson and John Masson of the Associate Presbyterian Church; Brother Cauldis of the A.M.E. Church; President Preus and Pastor Huff of the Norwegian Lutheran congregation, First Lutheran Church; Ottar Jorgensen of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church; Dr. Filipi and Dr. Pokoney of the Hus Memorial Church. The United States Navy Pre-Flight Choir performed the Navy Hymn and a Sanctus and Gloria Patri.
University of Wisconsin project
Call Number: AFC 1948/022
Published/Created: 1946
Collection of field recordings of instrumentals performed on various instruments, including dance music (polkas, waltzes); band music; love songs; lullabies; square dance calls and music; sea chanteys and songs; lumberjack's songs; street cries; humorous songs, funeral marches and music; hymns, psalms, Swiss yodels and dance music; and stories. Collected from 22 ethnic groups and several American Indian groups. The collection includes correspondence between Leland A. Coon, University of Wisconsin School of Music and Alan Lomax of the Archive of Folk Song (1940-1941), recording logs, and translations of some of the song texts from various languages.
Enlightenment, fellowship, and celebration at the Danebod folk meeting : Danish-American Grundtvigian cultural expression in the spirit of the old folk school by Kerst, Catherine Hiebert, 1948-
Call Number: AFC 2011/003
Published/Created: 2010-2016
Thesis.

Podcasts and Blog Posts

Chicago Ethnic Arts Project Goes Online
Folklorist Ann Hoog introduces the Chicago Ethnic Arts Project collection online presentation. (Folklife Today blog: May 24, 2016)

American Folklife Center Collections: Denmark

American Folklife Center: Ask a Librarian

About AFC Geographic Guides

Introduction

Chicago Ethnic Arts Project Collection

Additional Collections of Interest

Podcasts and Blog Posts