Hei all, I just have a simple question that I (and maybe others) have wondered about. I have came across a number of my distant relatives who have a occupation of “Church Singer”, I have looked this up and know what they do but would like to know this about it: 1. was it a prestigious occupation with the Church and community? 2. Did they get paid for this occupation, or just volunteer their service? 3. I see only Males, were their any Females? Thank you for the information. Cliff M

If you are referring to the term klocker I know a little about that. My g-grandfather Sam Gunderson was from Telemark. He studied in Norway before coming to Iowa. He served a kiocker to a dual parish at Rirgeway Iowa, the Madison congregation north of Ridgeway and the Lincoln church, south of Ridgeway near their farm. He lead all the singing, helped the pastor during the service with things like reading the scriptrues, taught confirmation classes, and helped with communion. I had the impression from my grandmother that he was almost like an assistant pastor. I was a paid position, and must have been fairly well paid as he owned a farm and a pretty fancy house for the day. He worked for the same congregation for 50 years...................... Steve -----Original Message----- From: Cliff M via Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2015 1:43 PM To: Norway-List Subject: [NOR] Occupation Hei all, I just have a simple question that I (and maybe others) have wondered about. I have came across a number of my distant relatives who have a occupation of “Church Singer”, I have looked this up and know what they do but would like to know this about it: 1. was it a prestigious occupation with the Church and community? 2. Did they get paid for this occupation, or just volunteer their service? 3. I see only Males, were their any Females? Thank you for the information. Cliff M ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORWAY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com

I can't completely answer your question, but I do know that male choruses were very popular in Norway in the 19th c. My g grandfather was in one in Sandefjord, Vestfold in the 1880s. I presume they sang both secular and sacred music, as one story members of the family know goes that at least some of them sang from the church steeple on Easter morning. I've seen pictures online of this church, which still exists. It has "shutters" on 3 sides of the steeple, which clearly would open outwards, so that the singers could stand inside and sing, their voices projecting outwards. No doubt they could be heard for a good distance, as they were well above the church doors. Google "Sandar church" for info on this church, including pictures that show the shutters, though they are closed. This group was famous enough that somehow Queen Victoria heard of them and invited them to come sing in her court. She asked them to wear their native costumes. But they also wore top hats--my g grandfather's is now in my brother's possession. There was a bit of a fuss because they were used to singing in knee breeches, and court dress required long pants. But they worked that out, and the chorus sang in their knee breeches, which were part of the native costume she'd asked them to wear. While a few may have known how to read music, mostly they sang by ear. But the music they were to sing for Queen Victoria was transcribed somehow into a book for them to learn their songs from and to take to England. He brought that to America with him, but it's now lost. I have no idea whether this chorus of singers was paid or not for their performances. My g grandfather was a merchant, and shows up that way in the local 1885 Sandefjord census. He emigrated to America not long after. Presumably this work as a singer was prestigious, or the chorus wouldn't have become known to the queen, and they wouldn't have been invited to sing for her. Nor would the top hat have been among the few things he chose to take with him to America. Doris On Thu, Feb 26, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Cliff M via <norway@rootsweb.com> wrote: > Hei all, > > I just have a simple question that I (and maybe others) have wondered > about. > I have came across a number of my distant relatives who have a occupation > of “Church Singer”, I have looked this up and know what they do but would > like > to know this about it: > > 1. was it a prestigious occupation with the Church and community? > > 2. Did they get paid for this occupation, or just volunteer their service? > > 3. I see only Males, were their any Females? > > Thank you for the information. > > Cliff M > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NORWAY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I found this explanation in the archives: "Kirkesanger" was also called "klokker". The kirkesanger did service in > the church, like leading the singing, saying certain prayers, and he (it > was always a "he" at that time) helped the pastor in different ways. He > had the job to keep one of the church registers, "klokkerboka". There were > two church registers, the pastor kept the main one. The "kirkesanger" was > very often a teacher. > http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/TRONDELAG/2009-01/1232286914 > To: norway-l@rootsweb.com > Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2015 11:43:24 -0800 > Subject: [NOR] Occupation > From: norway@rootsweb.com > > Hei all, > > I just have a simple question that I (and maybe others) have wondered about. > I have came across a number of my distant relatives who have a occupation > of “Church Singer”, I have looked this up and know what they do but would like > to know this about it: > > 1. was it a prestigious occupation with the Church and community? > > 2. Did they get paid for this occupation, or just volunteer their service? > > 3. I see only Males, were their any Females? > > Thank you for the information. > > Cliff M > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORWAY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message