UR-MUSIG

Cité Bleue, 46 avenue de Miremont, 1206 Geneva

Film directed by Cyrill Schläpfer

CSR Film, 1993/2003, 115’, original version with French subtitles

Introduced by Jean-Marc Jacquier, leader of la Kinkerne and specialist of Alpine folk music

Ur-Musig is a meditation on Switzerland's sound and visual landscapes. The absence of narration and the sounds of rural life add to the film's tone. From Alpine horns to cow bells, the music is spontaneous, natural and fascinating. This film pays tribute to the traditional musicians of Appenzell and Muotathal – people in perfect harmony with their surrounds. At first the music seems archaic and strange, but further listening reveals a profound melancholy.