Arvid August Afzelius

Arvid Afzelius August ( pronunciation: [ ˌ aɹ ː ˌ vid ɑu̯gɵst AFSE liɵs ː ], born May 6, 1785 Hornborga; † September 25, 1871 in Enköping ) was the first collector of Swedish folk songs.

Afzelius studied at Uppsala University and was after his ordination in 1811 first extraordinary and ordinary court preacher in 1820 in Stockholm. From 1828 until his death he served as pastor in Enköping. He was a member of the Götiska Förbundet since 1811 and was in 1842 elected to the Kungliga och Vitterhets History Antikvitets academies and 1857 in the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. Also the kongelige Nordiske oldskriftselskab and the Kungliga Samfundet promote utgivande av handskrifter rörande Scandinavia historia he belonged to.

Afzelius ' special significance lies in his contributions to the popularization of Old Norse literature and the collection of Swedish folk songs. Between 1811 and 1818, he published translations of Hervarar saga, the Völuspá and the Poetic Edda. Erik Gustaf Geijer Together with he gave from 1814 to 1818, the first printed collection of Swedish folk songs with melodies under the title Svenska folk - visor från forntiden in three volumes out. The musical adaptation of the tunes performed by the musical director of the University of Uppsala, Friedrich Haeffner. The basic work suggested to other collections of folk songs and inspired many composers in Sweden. Afzelius also wrote itself seals that at the time were widespread and were honored by the Svenska academies. A hymn is still in the current Swedish hymnal included (No. 22).

His Svenska folkets sago häfder eller Fäderneslandets historia, Sadan hon lefvat till och en del ännu lefver i sägner folksånger och andra minnesmärken ( 11 volumes, 1839-70 ) are a collection of völkstümlichen traditions about events of Swedish history.