Published May 7, 2020 | Version v1
Journal article Open

Transformations of Tonality: A Longitudinal Study of Yodeling in the Muotatal Valley, Central Switzerland

Creators

  • 1. Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts

Description

This study examines the transformations of tonalities in the Central Switzerland valley of
Muotatal, a small region attracting the focus of ethnomusicologists for harboring and
conserving a unique style of yodel, called juuz.1 Conducting a longitudinal study, three
samples of field recordings are compared, collected by Sichardt (sample 1, 1936), Zemp (sample
2, 1979), and Wey (sample 3, 2017).2 Changes in tonal systems are inherently difficult to observe,
as they progress slowly over generations and require audio recordings confined to a specific
cultural area. The datasets used in this study nonetheless promise to overcome these
difficulties and enable relevant findings for two reasons: First, the recordings were made in
the same small community, which is harboring a distinct style of Alpine yodeling. Second,
they span multiple generations, and the three samples were obtained at intervals of roughly
40 years.

Files

Wey_AAWM_Vol_8_1.pdf

Files (12.5 MB)

Name Size Download all
md5:ffa134617c34ad98fe8c7236e2cd2d4e
12.5 MB Preview Download