Jacob Niclas Ahlström

Who was Jacob Niclas Ahlström?

Jacob Niclas Ahlström was a Swedish Kapellmeister and composer.

Beginning his studies at Uppsala University in 1824, Ahlström dropped out due to lack of money and joined a touring theatrical troupe. From 1832 to 1842, he served as a cathedral organist and music teacher in Västerås and then became a Court Kapellmeister and organist in Stockholm until his death. In 1845, he held a concert in Berlin, during which he played Swedish folk songs and dances.

Ahlström composed two operas based on libretti by Frans Hedberg, incidental music, a vocal symphony, chamber music, and lieder. Together with Per Conrad Boman, he published Svenska folksånger, folkdanser och folklekar, the best-known collection of Swedish folk songs which appeared during the 19th century. In 1852, he also published the Musikalisk fickordbok, which enjoyed several reissues.