HISTORY

 

The beginning

In the autumn of 1944, in WWII´s most depressing phase, a group of young boys gathered in the Molde-suburb of Fuglset to start a choir. A silent protest in the midst of wartime madness. Wheater the Germans approved or not, remains unknown, but there was already a performing arts scene in Fuglset which they hadn´t reprimanded, despite the general bannishment of group assemblies. Henrik Hosen initiated the choir and the first meeting held in old Fuglset School. The meeting happened on September 27th and 15 young men, aged 17 and upward, showed up. The meeting was lead by Leif Kormeseth. The group decided to form a male voice choir and Henrik Hosen was chosen as the leader. Jakob Bjørnå, Ingolf Ulleland and Arne Hanssen were elected members of the board. Alf Hansen, a local butcher, who was also present, was given the task of being the choir´s first musical conductor. The plan was to use the school as the choir´s rehearsal space. The choir´s economics were also discussed and they decided to have an initial start-up fee of 3 NOK and a monthly member´s fee of 1 NOK. The first actual rehearsal was held on October 3rd and 18 men attended. Devicing parts among the singers turned out nicely and the balance between basses and tenors was ideal. The rehearsal space was quite cold and the choir was not allowed to use the local council´s fire wood for heating, as this was intended tor the pupils at the school. It was therefore deided that in addition to the monthly member´s fee, members had to bring a piece of fire wood to each rehearsal! Many of the singers worked at the Bolsønes ship yard and later that year the choir was given choir benches as a gift from the ship yard.

 

The first song the choir rehearsed was the hymn «Jesus det eneste», but at the choir´s rehearsal on October 17th, Alf Hanssen asked to be relieved of his duties as conductor. The board got in touch with Martin Mauseth, a known conductor, and at the choir´s next rehearsal he was hired. The choir had 13 rehearsals that last autumn of WWII and in the New Year of 1945 the choir had 40 members. It was therefore a large choir which joined the 17th May-parade that year, the largest parade ever in Molde. The choir´s first official performance was at sangerstevne (Singer Meet) on June 16th in Tornes in Fræna. On July 1st an intimate open-air-concert was held in Fuglset. Six songs were sung to the excited audience. People were optimistic and hungry for entertainment, post WWII. Fuglset Male Voice Choir contributed nicely to the blossoming culture in Fuglset, by participating in a variety of events and holding concerts of their own. Annual Christmas parties were held. Concerts were also put together at the council house in Kviltorp. Here the choir presented as many as 12 numbers according to the records, many of the songs were requested again! The choir also went on short tours around Romsdal. After the concerts were finished a dance was held for the audience and the choir. Often times it was well into the day before the choir´s members returned home on Sunday. There were also other means of earning money for the choir. In the autumn of 1952 a shooting range was opened in a garage. It was open every evening and the choir´s members took shifts. The venture was a success and in 1953 the choir bought their own shed which was placed in Fuglset. The venture was a success until 1955 when it was sold.