Country music

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Ländlermusik (popularly also disrespectful Hudigääggeler ) is originally a genre of folk music in German-speaking Switzerland with numerous regional styles. Nowadays, country music is also played in Ticino as well as in French and Rhaeto-Romanic Switzerland . In contrast to the rest of the German-speaking region, LÄNDER does not only refer to Ländler melodies in 3/4 time, but also dance and entertainment music that emerged from the rural dance music of the 19th century at the beginning of the 20th century.

Name Lander

The name 'Lander' appears around 1800. It is probably an abbreviation of "rural dance" and primarily describes the 3/4 time dance melodies that were originally predominant in southern Germany and all Alpine countries, and only later the dances danced to go with them. Melody and dance form are much older, however.

Swiss country music

the blind Yenish musician Fränzli Waser

Country melodies and associated dance forms have also come down to us in Switzerland. With the word Länders as a short form for Ländlermusik, other simple rhythms such as "Scottish" (corresponds to the polka ), march , waltz , "polka" (corresponds to the Scottish or Boarian ), mazurka , foxtrot and march-fox are named. The very rare tango in the country style (country tango) could not establish itself. Musicians who play country music are called country musicians.

For around 80 years a standardization of the line-up and with it a differentiation according to regional styles has prevailed. In view of today's mobility of musicians and the permanent availability of country music due to modern media, a stylistic categorization according to geographical aspects can no longer be made. The Schwyzerörgeli and the accordion have dominant and sound-forming functions . Brass instruments have been almost completely displaced from the country formations by the middle of the 20th century at the latest.

A Ländlerkapelle in Central Switzerland consists of a clarinet and / or saxophone, an accordion, a piano (nowadays often an electric piano) and a double bass, very rarely with an additional trombone. The concertante Central Switzerland style interpreted in this line-up was mainly used by musicians from Central Switzerland such as B. Jost Ribary Sr. or Kaspar Muther , but is not only cultivated in Central Switzerland. The melody is played on the clarinet or saxophone, while the accordion plays a second voice or a polyphonic accompaniment. The piano and the double bass form the rhythm section. The trombone, which had practically disappeared, played around the melody with a horn voice. One of the last well-known formations to use a trumpet was the Edi Bär band from Männedorf , where Röbi Pfister blew the trumpet.

Appenzell music is not regional music, as it is still largely based on the music of the 19th century. The string instruments were not displaced in Appenzellerland and are still taught and played very often there today. Original Appenzeller string music consists of two violins, dulcimer, cello and double bass.

A Ländlerkapelle with a Graubünden line-up usually consists of two to three clarinets, one to two accordions or Schwyzerörgeli and a double bass.

Ländlermusik is for the most part simply structured harmoniously and formally, so that spontaneous music-making off the cuff - analogous to a jazz jam session - is possible. Musicians' meetings , the so-called Stubeten or Musikantenhöcks, are held in restaurants.

Choice of popular melodies

Well-known representatives

of Swiss folk music are or were among others:

The Yeniche and the Länders

Paul Kollegger Chapel (2nd from left) 1899

The Yeniche in Switzerland prefer the Schwyzerörgeli for their music, in which they mix their own traditional rhythms and melodies with Länders.

Fränzli Waser (1858–1895) was one of the first to introduce hand organs / Schwyzerörgeli to Bündner folk music in Graubünden . In eastern Switzerland, especially in the canton of Graubünden, families of musicians who have been active for generations, such as Waser from Tschlin , Majoleth from Untervaz and Kollegger from Obervaz, have a legendary reputation. The progenitor of Majoleth was Johann Majoleth (1774–1856) from Untervaz. He was also known under the name "Gigerhannesli". The progenitor of the Kollegger was Paul Kollegger (1872–1927) from Obervaz, who also worked as a forest worker, goatherd and postillon and could neither read notes nor write down his melodies. A relative of his was the hand organ player Heinrich Kollegger (1925–2007).

In western Switzerland today, the Yeniche like to mix local traders with musette on their Schwyzerörgelis . Well-known representatives of this style are the musicians from the Werro and Mülhauser families. Joseph Mülhauser, also known by the stage name Counousse, creates connections in his music between the Länders and the music of the Sinti and Roma , in particular gypsy jazz .

The film unheard of Jenisch (2017, directed by Karoline Arn, Martina Rieder) thematizes the influence of the Yeniche on country music, especially in Graubünden. In addition to and together with Stephan Eicher , the Bündner Spitzbueba (Patrick Waser and Peter Gehring Schwyzerörgeli, Martin Waser double bass) appear in the film . Other protagonists are the formations Moser Buaba , Vazer Buaba , Obervazer Töbelifäzer , the Älplerchörli Obervaz and AlpTon

Radio and television

The television presenter Wysel Gyr brought folk music closer to a wide audience. He collected old shellac records with folk and popular light music. The collection is available to the folk music editors of Schweizer Radio DRS .

Radio stations such as Radio Eviva or Radio SRF Musikwelle specialize in folk music and broadcast a mix of Swiss folk music and hits .

literature

  • Dieter Ringli: Swiss folk music. From the beginning around 1800 to the present . Mülirad, Altdorf 2006, ISBN 9783033008267

Web links

swell

  1. ↑ Film synopsis on the homepage of the director Martina Rieder
  2. ↑ Film review in the Tages-Anzeiger, January 18, 2017