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| Music of the Austrian Alps Capitol of the World Capitol Records, DT 10016 |
When I titled this week's musical thrift store treasure I had no idea it is also a title of a once popular patriotic song from East Germany that played an important part in the film Goodbye Lenin! I could have known, I could have guessed, it's just that the song hasn't shown up for me yet in a thrift store like Mother Russia or Dear Siberian Land (see post on Siberia) have. I'm not very proud of my Dutch musical heritage (but I do have a large collection), and I don't think many fellow music enthusiasts from Austria and Switzerland are proud of their traditional folk music either. They should be though. The proof is here. Their folk music is as exciting as their neighbors' with a folk tradition of much higher esteem (Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic). Both these records here are released by a major label (Capitol). The authentic serious academic field recording labels and musicologists (think Alan Lomax or Nonesuch Explorer Series) have remarkable little to say about the folk music of Switzerland and Austria (and Germany too for that matter.) The Alps are considered a very conservative region and their music far removed from ancient times, a tribal past, or pagan ritualistic rites. But listen to these outtakes. Consider a true yodel, a real alphorn, or encountering a folk musician in a polar bear costume.
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| Swiss Mountain Music Capitol of the World Capitol Records, T 10161 |
Swiss Mountain Music - that was the album that featured a song on the Price is Right!
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