The alphorn is considered the Swiss national instrument and – based on his origins as a herders horn – also a symbol of the dairy industry in the Alps. Its shape is derived from the curved trunks of hillside fir trees. Nowadays, the instrument is constructed by carving glued pieces of wood down to the right size and shape, cutting the block of wood in half, hollowing out the halves, gluing them together and then wrapping the resultant pipe in adhesive tape. A wooden mouthpiece makes it easier to produce harmonics. One of these harmonics, known as the 'alphorn fa', is a physically determined partial tone between F and F sharp. The sound of the alphorn and the Büchel, an instrument which resembles a trumpet in shape and is popular in Central Switzerland, is warm and resonant. The alphorn is played as a solo instrument, in duos, trios, quartets, in choirs and also to accompany symphony orchestras or church organs. Nowadays it’s also used for pop, jazz and rock music, by groups of natural instrument enthusiasts and in experimental folk music. The Swiss Yodelling Association (EJV) promotes the alphorn tradition since 1910.
Alphorns awaiting their players © Eidgenössischer Jodlerverband
Alphorn performance outside the Culture and Convention Centre (KKL), Lucerne © Susi Garlando/Alphornvereinigung Pilatus, Kriens
Alphorns on the move through Lucerne © Susi Garlando/Alphornvereinigung Pilatus, Kriens
Alphorn players on parade, Central Switzerland Yodelling Festival, Lachen (SZ), 2012 © Annalies Studer/Zeitschrift Schwingen Hornussen Jodeln
Alphorn performance, Central Switzerland Yodelling Festival, 2012 © Annalies Studer/Zeitschrift Schwingen Hornussen Jodeln
Alphorn players taking a breather during the Federal Yodelling Festival in Interlaken, 2011 © Annalies Studer/Zeitschrift Schwingen Hornussen Jodeln
Alphorn players and flag throwers ("Fahenenschwinger"), Federal Yodelling Festival, 2011 © Annalies Studer/Zeitschrift Schwingen Hornussen Jodeln
Tradition meets modernity: alphorn quartet performing in the centre of town
Alphorn sextet performing, complete with scenic alpine backdrop © A. Hug, Frutigen
Alphorn player performing at the 1924 Swiss Yodelling Festival, Basel.
![Geysler, jun.: “Der Giessbach und die Sänerfamilie [Kehrli]” (etching from 1830)](/tradition/en/home/traditions/playing-the-alphorn-and-the-buechel/_jcr_content/par/slideshow/images/item_9/image.imagespooler.jpg/1554359719166/alphorn_b07_m.jpg)
Geysler, jun.: “Der Giessbach und die Sänerfamilie [Kehrli]” (etching from 1830)
J. F. Lamy: illustration in “La fête des bergers d'Unspunnen” (Bern/Basel 1805)
Daniel Lindtmayer: the art of cheese-making (detail taken from a pen-and-ink drawing, 1602)
“Alphornwald” in Mürren © Wolfgang Häuptli, 2011
Up until 1970, alphorns were fashioned from a crooked piece of pine wood. Today, they are made from jointed pieces of timber © Peter Studer
Foreground: "Doppelbüchel"; right: two "Krummbüchel" © Martine Bally, 2011
“Alphorn” by Bruno Weber © Martine Bally/Bruno Weber Skulpturenpark
Alphorn playing at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences. It is the only higher education institution in Switzerland to offer a degree course in traditional music © Reflector Visuelle Gestaltung Luzern
The opening ceremony of the Swiss Yodel Festival 2017 in Brig-Glis © swiss-image.ch/Andy Mettler
Playing the alphorn at the Swiss Yodel Festival 2017 in Brig-Glis © Marc-Antoine Camp
The Second Yodel Forum organized by the Lucerne University an the Swiss Yodel Association at the Swiss Yodel Festival 2017 in Brig-Glis dedicated to the relationship between alphorn and yodel © Marc-Antoine Camp
The Federal Counsellor Alain Berset at the Swiss Yodel Festival 2017 in Brig-Glis © swiss-image.ch/Andy Mettler
Detailed description
Alphorn- und Büchelspiel (PDF, 446 kB, 05.06.2018)Ausführliche Beschreibung
Category
Traditional craftsmanship
Canton
Connected traditions
Links
Multimedia on-line
Swiss National Sound Archives
Publications
Thomas Juchli, Hans-Jürg Sommer: Die Mundart des Alphorns (= The idiom of the alphorn = Le langage du cor des alpes). Oensingen, 2015 (DVD)
Charlotte Vignau: Modernity, complex societies, and the alphorn. Lanham, Maryland, 2013
Hans-Jürg Sommer: Eine Auswertung und Interpretation historischer Quellen zur Alphornmelodik. Oensingen, 2013
Frances Anne Jones: The alphorn in western art music - a cultural and historical study. University of Hull, 2014
Rudolf Gallati, Christoph Wyss: Unspunnen 1805-2005. Die Geschichte der Alphirtenfeste. Unterseen, Interlaken, 2005 (2. Auflage)
Brigitte Bachmann-Geiser: Das Alphorn. Vom Lock- zum Rockinstrument. Mit Beiträgen von Hans-Jürg Sommer, Rolphe Fehlmann, Res Margot und Matthias Wetter. Bern, 1999
Pierre Grandjean: Le Cor des Alpes. Lausanne, 2011
Dieter Ringli: Schweizer Volksmusik. Von den Anfängen um 1800 bis zur Gegenwart. Altdorf, 2006
Franz Schüssele: Alphorn und Hirtenhorn in Europa. Hölzerne Hörner von der Schweiz bis nach Schweden, von Russland bis Rumänien in Geschichte und Gegenwart. Friesenheim, Buchloe, 2000
Hans-Jürg Sommer: S’Büchel-Büechli. Melodien aus der Tradition geschöpft für Büchel, Oensingen 1995
Hans-Jürg Sommer: Eine Auswertung und Interpretation historischer Quellen zur Alphornmelodik. Oensingen, 2010
Charlotte Vignau: On Swissness in Alphorn Performance. In: Bulletin. Informationsblatt der GVS/SMPS und der CH-EM. Altdorf, 2009, p. 56-71
Keywords
Contact
Eidgenössischer Jodlerverband
Fachkommission Alphornblasen