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Herman Gellin
Gellin was born in Stockholm Nov 4, 1895.
At the age of 14 he had won an international accordion competition in Stockholm.
He got commercial training and at the age of 22 he moved to Copenhagen, Denmark , where he opened up his own business.
Prior to moving to Denmark, he had made several recordings in Sweden:

Herman Gellin

Gellin var født i Stockholm Nov.4, 1895.

14 år gammel havde han vundet et international harmonika konkurrance i Stockholm.

Han fik kommerciel uddanelse og i en alder af 22, flyttede han til København, Danmark hvor han åbnede en forretning.

Før han flyttede til Danmark havde han lavet flere indspilninger i Sverige:

Apache dance, The / Hermann Gellin / 49808 / *
Backamo valsen / Herman Gellin, dragspel (Insp. 02.1916) / 49835 / *
Bagni di Lucca / Herman Gellin, dragspel / Beka 49803 (Insp. 02.1916) / *
Boston vals / Herman Gellin, dragspel (Insp. 02.1916) / 49839 / *
En sommardrill / Hermann Gellin / 49836 / *
Gräshoppor-na / Hermann Gellin / 49806 / *
Kungl. Kronobergs Reg. Paradmarch / Herman Gellin, dragspel (Insp. 02.1916) / Beka 49791 / *
Le Bicot / Hermann Gellin / 49837 / *
Livet i Finnskogarne / Herman Gellin, dragspel (Insp. 02.1916) / 49796 / *
Nöckrosen [!] / Herman Gellin, dragspel (Insp. 02.1916) / 49793 / *

Young Herman Gellin
Picture taken in Sweden around 1913

Snart är vårens tid inne -
Accordion solo by Herman Gellin.
Recorded in Berlin 1916.
Beka Label

Bagni Di Lucca
Recorded by Herman Gellin
Beka Label
1916

Gräshopporna Polka

(Sundquist)

Accordion Solo -- Herman Gellin

Recorded 1916

Ernst Borgstrøm

He was born in Copenhagen July 31, 1900. Began secretly to practise his father's accordion at age 6. One day his father returned home early from work and "caught" Ernst playing his accordion and he was so impressed with his son's playing, that he immediately arranged lessons with a well know respected organist, who gave him a thorough musical education. Ernst was a true pioneer of the accordion, performing classical music at the age of 10. In his early teens he was performing professionally in Copenhagen and by age 19 he had recorded several compostitions on the "Beka" and Polyphon" labels. His real fame came when he in 1918 teamed up with Herman Gellin to form what was to become the internationally famous dou of Gellin & Borgstrøm.

In 1914 (14 years old) he received from Storm Pedersen(known as Storm P.) - a free-lance painter, illustrator, humorist and popular cabaret entertainer, a hand written letter, inviting him for an audition at "Edderkoppen" Cabaret in Copenhagen. The day after his performance there, the daily newspaper printed a cartoon showing Ernst with his accordion waiting behind the curtain, while Storm P. was entertaining.

Ernst Borgstrøm

Han blev født i København den 31. juli 1900 Begyndte hemmeligt at øve sig på sin fars harmonika i en alder af 6. En dag vendte hans far tidligt hjem fra arbejdet og "fangede" Ernst spille hans harmonika, og han var så imponeret over sin søns evne til at spille, at han arrangerede lektioner med en godt kendt respekteret organist, som gav ham en grundig musikalsk uddannelse. Ernst var en sand pioner inden for harmonikaen, og udførerede klassisk musik i en alder af 10. I sine tidlige teenageår spillede han allerede professionelt i København og ved en alder af 19 havde han indspillet flere stykker på "Beka" og Polyphon " etiketter. Hans virkelige berømmelse kom, da han i 1918 slog sig sammen med Herman Gellin at dannede hvad der skulle blive den internationalt berømte Dou af Gellin & Borgstrøm.

I 1914 (14 år) modtog han fra Storm Pedersen (kendt som Storm P.) - en free-lance maler, illustrator, humorist og populære kabaret entertainer, et håndskrevet brev, som inviterede ham til en prøve på "Edderkoppen" Cabaret i København. Dagen efter hans optræden, trykte den daglige avis en tegning, der viser Ernst med sin harmonika venter bag scenen, mens Storm P. var underhold.

Partial translation.

1915
At the concert in Rømersgade held Fridags night, the 14-year , Ernst Borgstrøm, presented himself as a musician on a Italian Concert Accordion which cost about 200 Kroner.
The little guy is an incredibly skillfully trained performer and is unique in this country in this field.

In Cafe Victoria (1914)
Kl.9,10 and 11 appear quite a young man, Ernst Borgstrøm, as accordionist and proves to be a virtuoso on the popular instrument.

Aug, 1918

The Accordion concert of the young Copenhagener,, Ernst Borgstrøm, became a great success.
Afholdshjemmets great hall was packed full of listeners. It sold over 300 tickets. The audience were thrilled and amazed at what can be presented on the accordion.

Hirtshals. 1918
Accordion virtuoso Borgstrøm
held last night a concert at Afholdshotellet. So many people showed up, as never before, so not all the people could get in.
Mr. Borgstrom played several overturers, salon waltzes etc. all with such virtuosity that it evoked thunderous applause.

1. Ernst Borgstrom age 14

2. Ernst with his father

Ernst Borgstrom
Age 17

Ernst Borgstrom
Age 18

Sigfred Borgstrøm

Allerede i Sigfreds unge år udviste han et særligt gehør for musik. Han var som mange andre med gehør for musik, selvlært, men blev hurtigt klar over at hvis man skulle nå længere, måtte han kunne node læsning og udvikle sit medfødte talent inden for musikken.

Harmonikaen var på dette tidspunkt herhjemme mere primitivt opbygget, i hvert fald dem som forhandledes her.

Sigfred var senere, og nok med rette, stolt over at han indførte den første avancerede kromatiske harmonika her i landet, og at hans søn Ernst, som på samme harmonika så tog sine første skjulte øvelser. og senere skulle blive verdenberømt kongelig-kejserlig harmonikavirtuos, er så en hel anden historie.

Sigfred optrådte mangfoldige steder, ved møder, skovture og ved mange haveforeningsfester som var populære lige før, og efter århundredeskiftet, og blev almindelig kendt som harmonikakongen.

Sigfred komponerede en del musik selv for harmonika, det var især polkaer og valse som var populære på det tidspunkt. Han komponerede i gennem flere år Lyttervalse til den årlige konkurance i radioen. Den aften det blev afholdt, sad Sigfred inde ved højtaleren for at høre om hans lyttervals havde sejret. Der var absolut og meget strengt taleforbud så længe denne ceremony stod på.

I sine senere år underviste han i harmonika i hjemmet og ind i mellem komponerede, overvåget af et stort billede af Wagner på væggen og et mindre billede af H.C. Lumbye på buffeen.

Already in Sigfreds early years did he show a special ear for music. He was like many others with ear for music, self-taught, but soon realized that if he were to go further, he had to be able to note reading and develop his inherent talent for music.

The accordion was at this time at home more primitively built, at least those which were sold in

Denmark

Sigfred was later, and probably rightly proud that he introduced the first advanced chromatic harmonica in this country, and that his son Ernst, who with the same accordion took his first secret practices, and would later become world famous royal-imperial accordion virtuoso, is quite another story.

Sigfred appeared many places, at meetings, picnics and many association celebrations which were popular just before and after the turn of the century, and he was commonly known as the accordion king.

Sigfred composed some music for accordion, especially polkas and waltzes that were popular at the time. He composed for several years "Listener's Waltz" for the annual competition on the radio. The night it was held,Sigfred sat close to the loudspeaker to hear ifhis listening waltz had won.. There was absolutely and strictly a speaking ban as long as this ceremony was on.

In his later years, he taught accordion at home and occasionally composed, watched over by a large picture of Wagner on the wall and a small picture of HC Lumbye on the buffet.

A musical evening at the Borgstrom's
Picture taken around 1913.
From the left: Ernst, his two cousins, his father and his uncle.
Apparently they gathered often to make music together.

Sigfred Borgstrøm with his students