Anna von Hausswolff

Last updated
Anna von Hausswolff
Anna von Hausswolff, 2022.jpg
Von Hausswolff in 2022
Background information
Birth nameAnna Michaela Ebba Electra von Hausswolff
Born (1986-09-06) 6 September 1986 (age 37)
Gothenburg, Sweden
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
  • composer
  • pipe organist
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • pipe organ
  • piano
  • synthezisers
Years active2008–present
Labels
Website annavonhausswolffmusic.bandcamp.com

Anna Michaela Ebba Electra von Hausswolff (born 6 September 1986) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, musician, composer, and pipe organist. She is known for her gothic-styled music, usually accompanied by the pipe organ. Von Hausswolff's music has received praise from music critics, though it resulted in protests from Catholic fundamentalist groups. [1] [2]

Contents

Early life

Born in Gothenburg, Sweden, [3] von Hausswolff is the daughter of avant-garde sound artist Carl Michael von Hausswolff. [4] She was a student of architecture at Chalmers University of Technology. [4]

Career

Anna von Hausswolff performing at Haldern Pop 2013 Anna von Hausswolff (Haldern Pop 2013) IMGP6369 smial wp.jpg
Anna von Hausswolff performing at Haldern Pop 2013

Von Hausswolff released her debut single, "Track of Time", on 5 February 2010, [5] followed by the debut album Singing from the Grave. The album was warmly received by the Swedish press. [6] She played the Way Out West Festival in 2009. [4] In March 2010, she opened for Tindersticks on three occasions [7] and toured Brazil with Taken by Trees and Taxi Taxi! Then in 2011, she opened for Lykke Li thrice, and also for M.Ward at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. She has played at several big festivals in Sweden such as Peace and Love, Storsjöyran, Way Out West, Arvika, and Made Festival. Hausswolff is noted for her expressive voice and her live performances, [4] [7] and is sometimes compared to Diamanda Galás.

On July 9, 2013, Ceremony was released in North America by Other Music Recording Co., and Anna von Hausswolff played her debut US show on July 10 at Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn. The album received strong support from National Public Radio's Bob Boilen, who said "Von Hausswolff's voice possesses the power to soar with those mighty pipes and still hold tight to delicate, personal emotions. I hope to find one album like Ceremony every year — a rare, thoughtful, inspiring record for a night on the couch or a candlelit evening — and now I've got one for 2013."[ citation needed ] She was also featured on NPR's Weekend Edition , PRI's The World , WNYC Soundcheck , the New York Times , Pitchfork and more.[ citation needed ]

Von Hausswolff released her fourth album, Dead Magic , in March 2018. It received critical acclaim, with some calling it her "darkest, most ambitious record to date". [8] Von Hausswolff produced the album with Sunn O))) 's producer Randall Dunn and was recorded on the 20th-century pipe organ at Copenhagen's rococo-style Marble Church. [3] Von Hausswolff hopes that the album causes listeners to accept mystery and ambiguity in an "extremely materialistic society where everything needs to be explained." [9]

All Thoughts Fly is the fifth album, recorded the pipe organ of Örgryte New Church in Gothenburg. The organ is a Swedish replica of the Arp Schnitger organ in Germany. It is the largest organ tuned in quarter-comma meantone temperament worldwide.[ citation needed ]

Anna von Hausswolff appears on the Sunn O))) record Metta, Benevolence. BBC 6Music: Live on the Invitation of Mary Anne Hobbs (2021)

Anna has collaborated with Wolves in the Throne Room, Swans, Sunn O))), and Yann Tiersen.

Artistry

Anna von Hausswolff at "Organ Reframed" at the Union Chapel, Islington in September 2022 Anna von Hausswolff at Organ Reframed at the Union Chapel in Islington (52361889227).jpg
Anna von Hausswolff at "Organ Reframed" at the Union Chapel, Islington in September 2022

Von Hausswolff's gothic-style music is described as "art pop, drone, and post-metal", with "a juxtaposition of dark and bright". The Guardian has described it as "funeral pop". [3] Her 2015 release, The Miraculous, is noted for its "gothic splendour". [10] Dead Magic shows a "brighter, poppier beat". Her vocals are similar to Nico, Diamanda Galás, Peruvian soprano Yma Sumac, and are compared to Kate Bush and A Kiss In The Dreamhouse -era Siouxsie Sioux. [10] Her music is associated with the Krautrock genre with odes to Einstürzende Neubauten and Swans. [10]

The pipe organ features heavily in her work. In an interview with The National about the album, she spoke to the physically demanding nature of the instrument, "You are working with your hands and feet, and you have all these stops that you are pulling in and out to make flute sounds, or maybe trumpet sounds. If you are playing fast it’s like dancing – you have to move the entire body to make it work.” [11]

Controversy

On 7 December 2021, von Hausswolff cancelled her planned concert at the Notre-Dame de Bon-Port in Nantes, France, following boycott demands from fundamentalist Catholic groups. Deeming her music "Satanic", the protestors blocked the church's entrance. [12] [13] [14] [15] Complaints against von Hausswolff include her 2009 song "Pills", which features the lyrics "I made love with the devil". [16] However, the scheduled concerts were instrumental on organ without lyrics. [12] The concert, organized by Le Lieu unique, [17] had been scheduled with approval from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nantes. On 9 December 2021, a concert planned at Saint-Eustache church in Paris was also threatened [18] [19] and rescheduled to the Protestant Unie de l'Etoile church, a location kept secret until the last moment except for ticket holders. [20] In a press release, the priest of Saint-Eustache explained that show was cancelled due to security reasons, and not due to the content of von Hausswolff's work. [21] Organisers for von Hausswolff and the Syndicat des musiques actuelles (SMA) lamented the lack of political support for the holding of the concert. [22] The organiser and the spectators of the canceled concert in Nantes have announced intentions to file a complaint against the fundamentalists for obstructing freedom of expression. [17] Von Hausswolff has denied the accusations of Satanism. [23]

On 13 December 2021, a show at the Dominican Order Saint-Dominique de Bruxelles church in Brussels also received threats. The concerts, which were sold out, nonetheless took place but under police protection. [24] Approximately 100 people turned out to protest, but were more peaceful than the protestors in France. [23]

In 2022 her music was performed at the Union Chapel in London on the opening night of "Organ Reframed". The London Contemporary Orchestra played her music and that of Ipek Gorgun, Abul Mogard and von Hausswolff. [25]

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Live albums

  • Live at Montreux Jazz Festival (2022)

Extended plays

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Roche-sur-Yon</span> Prefecture and commune in Pays de la Loire, France

La Roche-sur-Yon is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France. It is the capital of the department. The demonym for its inhabitants is Yonnais.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara (singer)</span> French singer (1930–1997)

Monique Andrée Serf, known as Barbara, was a French singer. She took her stage name from her grandmother, Varvara Brodsky, a native of Odesa, Ukraine. Barbara became a famous cabaretière in the late 1950s in Paris, known as La Chanteuse de minuit, before she started composing her own tracks, which brought her to fame. Her most famous songs include "Dis, quand reviendras-tu ?" (1962), "Ma plus belle histoire d'amour" (1966) and "L'Aigle noir" (1970), the latter of which sold over 1 million copies in just twelve hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Michael von Hausswolff</span> Swedish music composer and visual artist (born 1956)

Carl Michael von Hausswolff is a composer, visual artist, and curator based in Stockholm, Sweden. His main tools are recording devices used in an ongoing investigation of electricity, frequency, architectural space, and paranormal electronic interference. Major exhibitions include Manifesta (1996), documenta X (1997), the Johannesburg Biennial (1997), Sound Art - Sound as Media at ICC in Tokyo (2000), the Venice Biennale, and Portikus, Frankfurt (2004). Von Hausswolff received a Prix Ars Electronica award for Digital Music in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Guillou</span> French composer, organist, and pianist (1930–2019)

Jean Victor Arthur Guillou was a French composer, organist, pianist, and pedagogue. Principle Organist at Saint Eustache in Paris, from 1963 to 2015, he was widely known as a composer of instrumental and vocal music focused on the organ, as an improviser, and as an adviser to organ builders. For several decades he held regular master classes in Zurich and in Paris.

André Edouard Antoine Marie Fleury was a French composer, pianist, organist, and pedagogue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint-Eustache, Paris</span> Church in Paris, France

The Church of St. Eustache, Paris, is a church in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. The present building was built between 1532 and 1632.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippe Katerine</span> French singer-songwriter, actor, director, and writer

Philippe Blanchard, known professionally as Philippe Katerine, is a French singer-songwriter, actor, director and writer who began his career in 1991. Some of his popular singles include "Mon cœur balance", "Je vous emmerde", and "Louxor j'adore".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Ladmirault</span> French composer and music critic

Paul Émile Ladmirault was a French composer and music critic whose music expressed his devotion to Brittany. Claude Debussy wrote that his work possessed a "fine dreamy musicality", commenting on its characteristically hesitant character by suggesting that it sounded as if it was "afraid of expressing itself too much". Florent Schmitt said of him: "Of all the musicians of his generation, he was perhaps the most talented, most original, but also the most modest". Peter Warlock dedicated his Capriol Suite to him and Swan Hennessy his Trio, Op. 54.

Nariné Simonian is an Armenian-born French organist, pianist, musical director, and producer of operas. She specializes in baroque music, with a strong emphasis on Johann Sebastian Bach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fally Ipupa</span> Congolese musician and dancer (born 1977)

Fally Ipupa N'simba, known professionally as Fally Ipupa, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, philanthropist, guitarist, and producer. Often referred to as the "Prince of Rumba", he is noted for his tenor vocals as well as his blend of contemporary and traditional Congolese music genres, including Congolese rumba, soukous, and ndombolo. His lyrics often cover themes of romance, suffering, and joy.

<i>Ceremony</i> (Anna von Hausswolff album) 2012 studio album by Anna von Hausswolff

Ceremony is the second studio album by Swedish musician Anna von Hausswolff. It was released on 18 July 2012 in Sweden by Kning Disk. The album was followed by a worldwide re-release in Europe and North America in June and July 2013, respectively. Ceremony incorporates the pipe organ, which was recorded at the Annedal Church in Gothenburg and became von Hausswolff's first work to include that instrument. Ceremony is primarily a gothic pop record that spans from folk to drone styles, but also art pop, post-rock, noise, and ambient. The death of the singer's grandfather inspired the lyrical content from the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randall Dunn</span> United States record engineer and rock musician

Randall Dunn is an American record producer, audio engineer, composer, and musician.

<i>The Miraculous</i> 2015 studio album by Anna von Hausswolff

The Miraculous is the third studio album by Swedish musician Anna von Hausswolff. It was released on 13 November 2015 by her own label Pomperipossa Records. As in her previous album Ceremony (2012), The Miraculous contains a pipe organ, which was recorded at the Studio Acusticum concert hall in the Swedish city of Piteå. When writing the album, Von Hausswolff took inspiration from a place where her family used to tell her stories as a child, and the book Källan by Swedish writer Walter Ljungquist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palais des Fêtes</span> Music venue in the Neustadt district of Strasbourg in France

The Palais des Fêtes is a music venue in the Neustadt district of Strasbourg, in the French department of the Bas-Rhin. Built for the male choral society of Strasbourg in 1903, it has served as the principal concert hall of the city and home to the Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg until 1975. It has been classified as a Monument historique since 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Civitas (movement)</span>

Civitas, also known as France Jeunesse Civitas and Institut Civitas, was an association generally considered to be Traditionalist Catholic, integrist, nationalist, and of the extreme right. The association defines itself as a "Traditionalist Catholic lobby group". The group was once associated with the Society of St. Pius X, but it has evolved under the new leadership of Alain Escada and the "chaplaincy" is now provided by Capuchin Friars of Morgon. On February 14, 2023, the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) released a report in which it classified Civitas as a "religious nationalist", "anti-LGBTQ+", and "conspiracy" group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alma (French singer)</span> French singer and songwriter (born 1988)

Alexandra Maquet, known professionally as Alma, is a French singer and songwriter. She represented France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 with the song "Requiem", finishing twelfth.

<i>Dead Magic</i> 2018 studio album by Anna von Hausswolff

Dead Magic is the fourth studio album by Swedish musician Anna von Hausswolff. It was released on 2 March 2018 on City Slang and received critical acclaim.

<i>All Thoughts Fly</i> 2020 studio album by Anna von Hausswolff

All Thoughts Fly is the fifth studio album by Swedish musician Anna von Hausswolff, released on 25 September 2020 by Southern Lord Records. The album consists solely of seven pipe organ pieces composed and played by von Hausswolff, who also produced the album with Filip Leyman. It received a positive reception from critics and placed on multiple year-end lists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Beaupain</span> French singer and composer

Alexandre Beaupain, is a French singer and composer, both of his own songs, and of the music and songs for films, particularly those directed by Christophe Honoré. He has released several albums and received awards, both for film scores and the song albums.

Kali Malone is an American composer and organist based in Stockholm. Her works implement unique tuning systems in minimalist form for analog and digital synthesis often combined with acoustic instrumentation.

References

  1. ↑ Snapes, Laura (2021-12-09). "'Doom metal' organist's Paris show cancelled amid Catholic protests". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  2. ↑ "Swedish artist Anna von Hausswolff gives secret gig after Satanic slur". BBC News. 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  3. 1 2 3 Richardson Andrews, Charlotte (February 23, 2018). "Anna von Hausswolff: Dead Magic review – doomy epic from a supernatural talent". The Guardian. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Martin Hanberg (2010-02-27). "Lokalen viktig för Anna von Hausswolff". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  5. ↑ "Anna von Hausswolff — Track of Time". Kning Disk. Archived from the original on 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  6. ↑ "Anna von Hausswolff — Singing From the Grave". Kning Disk. Archived from the original on 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  7. 1 2 "Anna von Hausswolff". Archived from the original on 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  8. ↑ Andrews, Charlotte Richardson (2018-02-23). "Anna von Hausswolff: Dead Magic review – doomy epic from a supernatural talent". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  9. ↑ Snapes, Laura (March 22, 2018). "Anna von Hausswolff: 'It's still weird to see a woman screaming her nuts out'". The Guardian. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 Scharf, Natasha (1 March 2018). "Anna von Hausswolff - Dead Magic album review". Teamrock.com . Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  11. ↑ McNair, James (March 2, 2018). "Anna von Hausswolff's says new album Dead Magic is a 'clash of negative and positive energies'". The National. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  12. 1 2 "Un concert annulé sous la pression de catholiques intégristes à Nantes". Le Monde (in French). 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  13. ↑ "Vade retro, satanas ! À Nantes, des catholiques intégristes bloquent un concert". Télérama (in French). 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  14. ↑ "Nantes. Des catholiques intégristes empêchent la tenue d'un concert du Lieu unique". Ouest France. 7 December 2021.
  15. ↑ "Concerts annulés : la communion des extrêmes droites". Les Jours (in French). 28 December 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  16. ↑ "Jugée "sataniste", la musicienne Anna von Hausswolff déprogrammée à Paris après Nantes sous pression de catholiques". Libération (in French). Agence France-Presse. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  17. 1 2 Sophian Fanen (19 December 2021). "Concert annulé d'Anna von Hausswolff : le public renvoie les censeurs au tribunal" . Les Jours (in French). Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  18. ↑ Toffolet, Adrien (8 December 2021). "Deux concerts d'Anna von Hausswolff annulés à Nantes et Paris, après des pressions d'extrémistes catholiques". www.franceinter.fr (in French). Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  19. ↑ Poulain, Juliette. "Après Nantes, Anna von Hausswolff est déprogrammée à Paris - Les Inrocks". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  20. ↑ "L'artiste Anna von Hausswolff a pu finalement jouer à Paris, mais dans un lieu tenu secret". Le HuffPost (in French). 10 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  21. ↑ "Musique à Saint-Eustache". Eglise Saint Eustache (in French). Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  22. ↑ Sophian Fanen (16 December 2021). "Anna von Hausswolff : des concerts crucifiés dans un silence de cathédrale" . Les Jours (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  23. 1 2 Marshall, Alex (21 January 2022). "A 'High Priestess of Satanic Art'? This Organist Can Only Laugh". The New York Times . Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  24. ↑ "Après Nantes et Paris, le concert bruxellois d'Anna von Hausswolff à son tour menacé". Libération (in French). AFP. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  25. ↑ Shtreis, Irina (2022-08-26). "Organ Reframed festival announces the programme". Louder Than War. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.