Marias enmansorkester
{{Short description|Swedish street missionary and musician (1918–2002)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
File:Mariasenmansork.jpg in 1980]]
File:Marias enmansorkester 1972.jpg
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
Hedvig Maria Farwall was born in Ånimskog, Älvsborg County on 5 March 1918.{{cite web | title=Maria Johansson | publisher=Svensk filmdatabas | url=https://www.svenskfilmdatabas.se/en/item/?type=person&itemid=322122 | access-date=15 May 2025}} She grew up in a religious family where the father was a free churchpreacher.{{cite web | title=Maria Johansson | publisher=Nationalmuseum | url=https://collection.nationalmuseum.se/sv/artists/artist/21569/ | access-date=15 May 2025}}
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.{{cite web | title=Hon spelade på Sergels torg i nära trettio år | website=Östgöta Correspondenten | date=30 December 2024 | url=https://etidning.corren.se/p/bilaga-1/2024-12-30/a/hon-spelade-pa-sergels-torg-i-nara-trettio-ar/4435/1799237/59652543?mainissue=1799249 | language=sv | access-date=15 May 2025 | first=Jon | last=Forsling}} The square itself had opened in 1967.{{cite web | title=Plattans klassiska plattor byts ut | website=Mitt i | date=2 July 2021 | url=https://www.mitti.se/nyheter/plattans-klassiska-plattor-byts-ut-6.27.10412.36da915cfa | language=sv | access-date=15 May 2025 | first=Elina | last=Lundberg}} 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.
File:Marias enmansorkester i Stadsmuseets samling.jpg]]
On 4 September 1972, Johansson brought a cart with instruments to the square to play daily for passers-by.{{cite web | title=Maria blev en kändis på "Plattan" | website=Expressen | date=24 November 2008 | url=https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/maria-blev-en-kandis-pa-plattan/ | language=sv | access-date=15 May 2025 | first=Amanda | last=Taawo}} 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.{{cite web | title=Maria Johanssons enmansorkester | publisher=Stockholmskällan | date=12 June 2023 | url=https://stockholmskallan.stockholm.se/post/10344 | language=sv | access-date=15 May 2025}} Since 1979, it was motorised after approval from the National Swedish Road Safety Office.
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".{{cite web | title=Maria Johansson med orgeln har avlidit | website=Aftonbladet | date=15 November 2002 | url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/ddn36o/maria-johansson-med-orgeln-har-avlidit | language=sv | access-date=15 May 2025 | first=Petter | last=Ovander}}
Johansson died in Hägersten, Stockholm, on 6 November 2002 at the age of 84. Earlier in the year, she didn't have the possibility to celebrate 30 years as an artist due to health. Her cart was donated to the Stockholm City Museum by her husband. Her funeral ceremony was held at Uppståndelsekapellet at Skogskyrkogården in Stockholm.
Johansson published an autobiography, Nardus och spikar, in 1986.{{cite web | title=Sångare värda salighet | website=Svenska Dagbladet | date=29 May 2011 | url=https://www.svd.se/a/18f6ce7f-a75f-3704-b397-261610c58f86/sangare-varda-salighet | language=sv | access-date=15 May 2025 | first=Kenneth | last=Ahlborn}}
References
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{{Authority control}}
Category:People from Åmål Municipality
Category:Performers of Christian music
Category:Musical groups established in 1972
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2002
Category:1972 establishments in Sweden
Category:2002 disestablishments in Sweden
Category:21st-century disestablishments in Stockholm
Category:20th-century Swedish singers