Country Music In Switzerland
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- Dan_Ellsworth
- StevenL
- Dan_Ellsworth
- MyMuse
- StevenL
- Dan_Ellsworth
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» Dan_Ellsworth - Sheer unexpectedness! Sometimes that's the best thing on the In
Sheer unexpectedness! Sometimes that's the best thing on the Internet. Never in my life had I thought to wonder whether Switzerland had country-music sites - but it was very pleasant to find out. Steven, do you have any comments on the experience of looking at Lake Geneva (or the Alps) while listening to country music? Seems like it could be refreshing.Dan Ellsworth (e-mail, bio), Editor, "Christianity - Protestant"
-- posted by Dan_Ellsworth
» StevenL - A friend of mine (who has since retired) and I used to rent a ca
A friend of mine (who has since retired) and I used to rent a car and drive through the countryside. I always brought along some cassette tapes to listen to as we toured around the lake (the southeast side is in France) or through the mountains on the way to the Matterhorn. One time we had to drive our car onto a train car to get transported under the mountains because the pass was still closed from snow. We sat there with the music going as we travelled through the tunnels. Actually the greatest musical moment I had in Switzerland was coming around the north end of the lake around Montreaux. I was listening to a John Rutter & the Cambridge Singers (not C&W) Christmas tape. As we came around the bend in the road, the Alps came into full view as "Joy To The World" started playing on the tape. What an experience.Off the immediate subject, but related, I always have believed that the yodeling often heard in Western music originated from the alpine farmers who immigrated to the US and settled in the Midwest and Western part of this country. Although some experts have discredited the theory, I still feel that there is a strong influence.
-- posted by StevenL
» Dan_Ellsworth - Did yodeling ever catch on in Scandinavian countries? I think t
Did yodeling ever catch on in Scandinavian countries? I think they supplied many of our northern-midwest farmers. What are the ethnic backgrounds of C&W performers? Is Scotch-Irish a big part? Quite a tangle, but I think the yodel is capable of traveling a distance - ethnically, that is - so you might be right. Masters thesis?: Tracking the Immigrant Yodel.It's beautiful when scenery and music come together. :-)
Dan Ellsworth (e-mail, bio), Editor, "Christianity - Protestant"
-- posted by Dan_Ellsworth
» MyMuse - I echo Dan's sentiments about the unexpectedness of Country in S
I echo Dan's sentiments about the unexpectedness of Country in Switzerland, who knew?As for yodeling, wasn't that Dutch? Hmm, maybe they like Jewel there too. 
Great article, as always!
Michele
Editor-'80s Music
Music Managing Editor
-- posted by MyMuse
» StevenL - Many of the farmers were from Northern and Western Europe. My ow
Many of the farmers were from Northern and Western Europe. My own ancestry is Swedish and German (along with a little English and French). As for yodeling, I am not sure of any history from Scandinavian countries. I'm going to Finland in a month, I'll check it out.-- posted by StevenL
» Dan_Ellsworth - Finland?! Whether you find anything about yodeling or not, I th
Finland?! Whether you find anything about yodeling or not, I think you'll find people with relatives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. And I hope sometime you get to hear Sibelius' Finlandia while looking at the scenery of Finland. And - can't forget - see if they listen to anything we'd recognize as Country & Western. Wow! You do some major travelin'!Dan Ellsworth (e-mail, bio), Editor, "Christianity - Protestant"
-- posted by Dan_Ellsworth
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