Alexis History and Photos
Concert photo, circa early 1920s
Concert photo, circa early 1920s
Concert photo, circa 1915
Other Gerhard Alexis Memorabilia
The Master's Servant
(extended bio and obituary of Gerhard)
Gerhard's letterhead
stationery, circa 1926
Letter
offering concert services of Gerhard and brother Carl, circa early 1920s
Gerhard at piano, 1925
Gerhard at his new Chickering baby grand piano, St. Paul, February 1918. His sister Theresia's painting of Jesus hangs above the piano.
Gerhard, Olga and Jr., Christmas 1919
One of seven children born to an itinerant Swedish Lutheran minister, Gerhard Theodore Alexis dedicated his life to the music of the church as an organist, composer, arranger, singer and choral conductor.
Gerhard was born in Dodge County, Nebraska, on April 12, 1889. His early studies and positions led him through the midwest to Stockholm, Sweden, where he studied at the Royal Musical Conservatory. He also traveled the United States and Sweden with three of his four brothers as the Alexis Male Quartet. The multi-talented family members gave concerts that included vocal solos, duets and quartets; organ, piano and flute works, as well as dramatic recitations.
In 1916, Gerhard accepted the position of organist and choirmaster at First Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he and his wife, Olga Maria Grund, raised their three children. In addition to his duties at First Lutheran, he served as professor of music at the Minnesota College's School of Music and at Phalen Luther Seminary. Gerhard also taught privately and performed publicly throughout the midwest as an organist and singer. He was a member of the St. Paul Federation of Lutheran Brotherhood's Male Quartet and was a Fellow of the American Guild of Organists.
Gerhard also served on the committee that composed, arranged and approved the music for the 1925 Augustana Synod Hymnal. He is remembered therein by six hymns and a number of liturgical compositions and arrangements. Three of his hymn tunes were included in the 1958 Lutheran Service Book and Hymnal, affectionately known as "The Red Hymnal."
Gerhard died at the age of thirty-eight on May 31, 1927, of peritonitis following an appendectomy. He rests in St. Paul's Union Cemetery.
The majority of his numerous organ compositions, as well as many of his sacred vocal and other instrumental pieces, remains unpublished and unrecorded.
Biography of Gerhard T. Alexis, Jr.
The John Nilsson Alexis Family, July,
1917
Front row: Joseph Alexis, Magda (Joseph) Alexis, Ingrid Alexis (mother),
Helen (Oscar) Alexis, Olga (Gerhard) Alexis
Back row: Crispin Alexis, Carl Alexis, Tekla Alexis, Rev. Emil Valberg,
Theresia (Emil) Valberg (nee Alexis), Oscar Alexis, Gerhard Alexis
Not pictured: Rev. John Nilsson Alexis (father), deceased 1912