German Volksmusik... What is That About?
Germany is a country with an extensive history that many of us probably already know a bit about. While we may know some about German history, there is a significant possibility that many of you may know nothing about German culture. In this blog, I would like to step into the realm of Germany, specifically the German Volksmusik or folk music. Before this deep dive, here is a short video on the history of Germany beyond the World Wars, just for a bit of background!
German Volksmusik is traditionally defined in one of two ways. Traditional music was supposedly transmitted orally and was not transcribed. It is supposedly characteristic of regional cultures and includes folk songs, instrumental pieces, and music for folk dancing. Secondly, a current meaning includes “volkstümlicher Schlager,” light music with elements of traditional folk music in the current popular folk genre.
If we focus on the traditional definition, we can travel into the alpine mountains of Germany, Austria, and Bavaria to still find these Volksmusiks traditions closest to their original form. The meaning of Volkmusik can be directly translated to "music of the people." Reformation and Immigration throughout Germany (an example being the religious movement away from the catholic church cultivated an environment ideal for creating new musical pathways for Germany's popular music to follow. In its beginning, Volksmusik became easily recognizable as German. The sound and the colorful and unique clothing worn while playing all became easily recognizable even today. Stereotypes emerged from there, and now, if anyone has ever mentioned Germany to you, some of the first things to pop into your head are lederhosen, bratwurst, and music that sounds something like this.
I'd now like to talk about the instruments that go into Germany Volkmusik that make it so unique, and some may surprise you! Featured instruments used are primarily acoustic such as the fiddle, recorder, and guitar. These instruments are primarily used in the mountain regions of Germany and other European countries, along with many brass instruments (such as the french horn and Tuba) and the accordion. The Accordion is an integral part of German Folk music. It can be seen in almost any video of traditional German Volksmusik bands. I'd like to focus on this for a moment and talk about the process of creating an accordion and its importance to German Volksmusik.
A bass tuba or tuba has five valves that slide. The valves were a revelation for brass players, and as the tuba caught on, there was an uptick in valved brass instruments with new and improved tuning. Being invented by Germans in 1835, it is only apparent that it would be picked up by locals and added to their favorite tunes, adding in bass and new tones to their music.
Although there are many more instruments that are original to German Folk music and used to this day, these two described above are the most prevalent for this discussion as they have been two of the main instruments that have traveled around the world and have now been integrated into the music of other cultures and essential in new ways. The Tuba is a fundamental instrument found in any and every high school band class, marching bands, and jazz/classical hits of today. The accordion, with its unique structure and sound, has made its way into mainstream bluegrass and country in the US.
All this to say that German influence (specifically Volksmusik) has led to the syncopation of many of today's most prominent genres. But what about the culture? What does the music mean to the people of Germany?
A big part of German Culture is festivities and celebrations. The people of Germany love a good party. Two big celebrations I would like to mention are the Almabtrieb and Oktoberfest.
Almabtrieb is the custom in the alpine regions of Germany and surrounding countries. It takes place in September-October and is the tradition of bringing the cows down off the alpine mountains. They are dressed in flower headdresses and walk through the villages. These festivities are usually followed by a band playing traditional Volksmusik.
Oktoberfest is the world's largest Volksfest, full of beer and traveling carnivals. Its origins can be traced back to the celebration following the marriage of a Bavarian Prince to the princess of Saxony-Hildburghausen. It was custom to celebrate for multiple days, involving drinking, games, and music. Oktoberfest music includes both traditional German brass band styles intermingled with modern classics and all shouted at the top of your lungs.
Resources:
“A Brief History of German Music.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/video/214310/Germany-music-history-culture-classical-contemporary.
“German Folk Music Genre.” Music Genres List, 27 Dec. 2012, https://www.musicgenreslist.com/music-german-folk/.
Looper, Lance. “How German Traditions Work.” HowStuffWorks, HowStuffWorks, 25 July 2011, https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/national-traditions/german-tradition3.htm#:~:text=Volksmusic%20%2C%20which%20originated%20in%20the,such%20as%20guitars%20or%20harmonicas.
Admin. “German Folk Music.” World Federation of Music Therapy, 19 June 2021, https://wfmt.info/2014/04/01/german-folk-music/#:~:text=Featured%20instruments%20used%20are%20mostly,recorder%2C%20accordion%2C%20and%20guitar.
“Accordion.” How Products Are Made, http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Accordion.html.
“Oktoberfest.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Dec. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oktoberfest.
Hi Sara! I really liked your blog. I thought it was awesome that you took the time to discuss the instruments that are more unique to German music, and I especially enjoyed learning about the accordian. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how the accordion developed throughout Europe and is so important to the music on the continent. I did my blog on the Celtic cultures, who also have their own versions of the accordion.
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