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| Freedom! A musical approach Freedom means something different to each person: some find it on the summit of a mountain, for others it can be found in the possibilities of the digital world. The freedoms people have fought for have changed throughout history. In the 19th century, the young Nation-State referred to William Tell, the legendary freedom fighter. Today, personal freedoms are taken for granted. Basic rights like free speech, for example, protect them. To this day, many songs speak of freedom. In this room, six choirs and music groups from Burgdorf perform songs of freedom from different eras. Feel free, listen to them and sing along! |
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| 1 | The town air sets you free The Burgdorf Charter of 1273 In the Middle Ages, “freedom” meant having rights. The nobility and towns recorded their rights in documents. In 1273, Anna de Kybourg and her husband, Eberhard de Habsbourg, conferred a municipal right on Burgdorf: a charter. This regulated how people should live together. Now, not everyone had equal rights; people who had been established for a long time had more rights than recent arrivals, men more than women. Freedom could be bought; anyone who had lived a year and a day in the town could buy citizenship and free themselves from serfdom. |
| 2 | More than objects ! Intangible cultural heritage in the museum Museums exhibit things: historical objects or works of art. But they are also interested in music, in dance, in festivals, in knowledge and in know-how: intangible cultural heritage. Tangible and intangible cultural heritage are closely linked. Objects in a museum are also made up of the stories of those who made, used or collected them. Intangible cultural heritage changes: it is a living thing. Whoever takes care of it, and transmits it to the next generation, is a bearer of this intangible heritage, as a choir member, for example. |
| 3 | Freedom in our ears People from Burgdorf sing Under the listening devices you can hear six songs on the subject of freedom. Choirs and music groups from Burgdorf recorded them in 2023. The musicians took the liberty to reinterpret some old songs, and they also participated in the conception of this exhibition. At the different listening stations, singers describe what freedom and the respective song means to them. Information on the history of the songs complements the statements. |
| 4 | Faith Song “Haslibacher Ballade” (“The Haslibacher Ballad”), unknown poet, circa 1620, sung by the Konzertchor Burgdorf choir, reworked by Tim Rebmann, 3 mins. Voices The Konzertchor Burgdorf choir – firmly rooted in the cultural life of the town, 1 min. Freedom Freedom only exists if diversity is given its place, 1 min. About the history of the song The persecution of Anabaptists in the Emmental in the 16th century, 1 min. |
| Song “The Haslibacher Ballad” So we shall begin Our song about an old man He was from Haslibach They called him the Haslibacher From the parish of Sumiswald That the good Lord allowed To be harshly accused Evidently because of his faith They seized him roughly Took him into town, in Berne And now that he was captured Tortured and tormented The lords paid him a visit You must renounce your faith On we’ll have your head The Baptist spoke to the executioner Eat, drink heartily Today you shall even Spill my innocent blood But for my soul it is good When he arrives at the gallows He takes his hat from his head Sets it before the people My cause is in the hands of God Just give your verdict please Then they cut off his head Which fell back into his hat The signs could be seen The Baptist’s mouth laughed in the hat Which means the punishment and scourge of God |
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| Voices In the Konzertchor Burgdorf choir, around 80 people sing, all music fans and all living in or around Burgdorf. The Konzertchor is the product of three Burgdorf choirs joining together: the Gesangverein, the men’s choir Männerchor Liederkranz and the teachers’ choir Lehrergesangverein. The oldest choir, the Gesangverein, has been singing since 1805. From the 1970s onwards, the three choirs have been giving concerts together, which led to the creation of the Konzertchor. Since the spring of 2009, the choir has been led by Gonzague Monney. Today the choir rehearses important and demanding works from all eras and all musical genres. These are often accompanied by soloists and performed in concerts in the municipal church in Burgdorf. These musical evenings have become an integral part of the cultural life of Burgdorf. |
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| Freedom For all the singers in the Konzertchor, freedom means being able to do, think and say what they want. They can play a part in shaping society and have the right to lead an independent and self-determined life. That way lie happiness and contentment. Freedom offers the possibility of growing and developing – in the Konzertchor, for example. The act of singing together liberates, and opens the mind and soul. Such freedom requires respect, tolerance and responsibility towards other humans and living beings. The Haslibacher song shows that this has not always been the case. Hans Haslibacher had his freedom of religion curtailed by the powerful. His freedom to believe in his religion was so important to him that he died for it. History shows that freedom can only exist with tolerance and acceptance of what is different. |
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| About the history of the song On 20 October 1571, the last Anabaptist was executed in Berne: the peasant and Anabaptist preacher Hans Haslibacher. While captive he had refused to renounce his Anabaptism, so he was decapitated. Like him, many Anabaptists were persecuted, arrested, exiled or executed if they wanted to live their faith. For a long time, the Church and the authorities were very closely allied. Anabaptists wanted to separate faith and power, which meant going further than the Reformation. For this reason, the government enacted laws against the Anabaptists. Freedom of religion has only existed in Switzerland since the foundation of the Federal State in 1848, for Jews just since the revision of the Federal Constitution in 1874. There are still Anabaptists today. Some live in the USA and are called Amish. They still sing the song about Hans Haslibacher, the Anabaptist from the Emmental. |
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| 5 | Censorship Song “Lied der Burgdorfer Schützen” (“Song of the Berthoud riflemen”), Gottlieb Jakob Kuhn, 1830, sung by Cantabella Burgdorf, 4 mins 25 sec. Voices Cantabella Burgdorf: from the Burgdorf male workers’ choir to the Burgdorf mixed choir, 1 min. Freedom Of its time, but never subject to censorship, 1 min. About the history of the song Festivals, riflemen and liberals from Burgdorf in the 19th century, 1 min. |
| Song “Song of the Berthoud riflemen” Salute the valiant brothers! They are happily back again For the joyous game of arms For the joyous game of arms But if we load our weapons Not only do the enemy we threaten Let it roar, to our hearts’ content Let it roar, to our hearts’ content Hallot, hallot, hallot, hallot Let it roar, to our hearts’ content Hallot, hallot, hallot, hallot Let it roar, to our hearts’ content Our fathers’ example we wish to follow To stand fast before tempest and storm But if a war should come tomorrow But if a war should come tomorrow Before the cannons roar We want to live and laugh some more And be merry, and drink some wine Hallot, hallot, hallot, hallot And be merry, and drink some wine Hallot, hallot, hallot, hallot And be merry, and drink some wine So we do as in olden times, We carry the crossbow, The spear and the scourge, The spear and the scourge, And there are those who say, Those old Swiss garments Are no longer the fashion in Berne Are no longer the fashion in Berne Hallot, hallot, hallot, hallot Are no longer the fashion in Berne Hallot, hallot, hallot, hallot Are no longer the fashion in Berne Hey! Let us not be afraid It is not the weapon that makes us happy Nor clothes that make the man Nor clothes that make the woman If we are like our forebears United as one we must be And all should be well Hallot, hallot, hallot, hallot All should be well Hallot, hallot, hallot, hallot All should be well And that is why, my dear brother riflemen Let the Swiss songs resound Standing tall, hand in hand Standing tall, hand in hand May all the cantons Live in peace and unison Long live our nation Long live our nation Hallot! Hallot! Hallot! Hallot! May the censor cease Hallot! Hallot! Hallot! Hallot! May the censor cease |
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| Voices More than 50 men and women of all ages who enjoy singing participate in the Cantabella Burgdorf choir. The choir was founded in 1897 as the men’s choir Grütlimännerchor, in 1920 it was renamed as Arbeiter Männerchor Burgdorf. Because of a drop in numbers it was decided in 1990 to also accept female singers. And so the mixed Gemischte Chor Burgdorf was born, called Cantabella Burgdorf since 2021. Today the choir sings pieces from all musical genres such as musical comedies, gospel, classical music, popular music, schlager, pop or spirituals. Every two years more or less, it prepares new songs for a bigger concert. The rest of the time, it takes part in regional and national choir meetings and is always happy to be invited to sing at church services, in retirement homes or at private parties. Social events and get-togethers are also part of the choir life. |
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| Freedom For the members of the Cantabella choir, the Schützenlied (Song of the Riflemen) is annoying at first. The content seems outmoded and strange. However, anyone who studies the message will quickly notice that it is highly topical. The song shows that each and every person is responsible for creating our societal framework, and from this: freedom. It reminds us that freedom has been won through the struggle of those who in the past rose up against laws and authority, and who did not accept censorship. The right to participate is not a given! The song tells us to celebrate our freedom, our peace, hand in hand but always vigilant. Let us therefore take this freedom to work together towards a positive, interesting and free future. |
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| About the history of the song The time before the foundation of the Federal State in 1848 was marked by revolts and the Sonderbund War. The liberals were trying to spread the ideals of the Enlightenment, the Conservatives in power wanted to prevent this. Press freedom did not exist back then. Therefore, Liberals propagated their ideas in associations like shooting clubs, for example, and would meet at national festivals. In 1930, the Federal Shooting Festival took place in Bern. Riflemen from Burgdorf wanted to sing the song of Gottlieb Jakob Kuhn from Burgdorf. The line “die alte Schwyzerchleider sin nümme Modä z’Bärn” (these old Swiss garments are out of fashion in Bern) had no challenging meaning, but the conservative government took this as an attack: their “old garments”, therefore their ideas, would no longer be fashionable among the liberals. The government wanted to censor the songs; the shooting clubs threatened to leave the festival. This pressure was enough for the Bernese government to abandon censorship. Since then, the song of the Burgdorf folk ends with the line “Drum weg mit der Zensur” (so away with censorship). |
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| 6 | Myth Song “Aemme-Jutz”, Willy Felder, 2005, sung by the Aemmitaler-Chörli from Burgdorf, 3 mins. Voices The Aemmitaler-Chörli choir between tradition and modernity, 1 min. Freedom The Emme river completely calm, completely wild and completely free of text, 1 min. About the history of the song Yodelling, nature and politics in 1848, 1 min. |
| Voices The Aemmitaler-Chörli choir sings traditional and modern yodelling pieces and in this way maintains Swiss tradition and love of the homeland. In 1941, men from the Burgdorf gym club got together to perform yodelling songs at social evenings. The creation of the actual yodelling choir itself happened after the Second World War in 1947. Many concerts took place over the following decades, among the more memorable of which were the Federal Yodelling Festival in Burgdorf in 1984 and the Federal Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Games Festival in Burgdorf in 2013. Today, the choir rehearses once a week on Thursdays, for several years now with female yodellers. Camaraderie and sharing convivial moments are of the essence. |
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| Freedom For yodellers of the Ämmitaler-Chörli choir, the act of singing in a choir gives a carefree sense of freedom and happiness. For its members, freedom also means keeping traditions alive. They wear traditional costumes and sing traditional and modern yodelling pieces, which gives them a sense of belonging. The piece entitled “Aemme-Jutz” is a nature yodel, in other words, it has no lyrics. At its core are melody and rhythm. This form of yodelling simply invites you to feel it. The audience is left free to listen and feel the music. Only the title “Aemme-Jutz” reveals that the song is inspired by the Emme, from the trickle of calm water to the rushing river. |
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| About the history of the song Willy Felder composed the piece “Aemme-Jutz” after the great storm of 2005 during which the river Emme burst its banks and nature showed us the limits of our freedom. At the same time, many people associate nature with the feeling of being free. With the creation of the Nation-State, the link between nature and freedom was also used for political ends. There was no homogenous language or culture. That is why the founders resorted to the myth of free Switzerland, and at the centre of this myth were the Alps. The Alpine herdsman epitomised the pastoral idyll, direct democracy in the form of landsgemeinde, freedom – all the values that it was hoped every Swiss man and woman could identify with. Yodelling, the song of the mountain pastures, thus became the anthem of this myth of freedom. And it was this freedom which was supposed to unify Switzerland, despite all the differences in religion, politics and language. |
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| 7 | Lockdown Song “Längwiligi Ziite” (“Tedious times” ), Lina Wisler-Beck, 1920, sung by the Rattlesnakes, 2 mins 50 secs. Voices The Rattlesnakes – THE Burgdorf rock group, 1 min. Freedom Not having to do what you don’t want to do, 1 min. About the history of the song From foot-and-mouth disease in 1920 to the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, 1 min. |
| Song “Tedious times” Nowhere a local festival, nowhere dancing At home, around the house we languish I’ve been racking my brains What we can yet do, to pass the time. They who love to run and dance, oh my These epidemic rules will make them suffer Anyone will tell you, it’s not interesting Above all for the single and the entertaining So I stay at home, I remain there And hope that this hardship will pass one day Because I am not alone, it affects others We just have to get used to it, so we will become wise Sunday seems especially long Going out is forbidden, strictly If someone were to see you, that’s all it takes There’s a big price to pay, and I have no money! So I stay at home, I remain there And hope that this hardship will pass one day Because I am not alone, it affects others We just have to get used to it, so we will become wise |
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| Voices In 2015, the rock group Rattlesnakes celebrated their fiftieth anniversary. The Burgdorf municipal magazine devoted a double page spread to them. It was clear: Rattlesnakes are a Burgdorf institution. But not just locally; from Burgdorf, the group performed across Europe! Since their foundation in 1965, Rattlesnakes have not only played almost everywhere in Switzerland, but also in Germany, France and Austria. With their music, the group has stayed faithful to classic rock, with multi-voice singing, right up to today. The song on the theme of “Freedom” is a departure from the normal style of the group. It came about spontaneously – the members of the group wanted to try something new for the exhibition. |
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| Freedom Lina Wisler-Beck wrote the poem “Längwiligi Zitte” (Boring Times) in 1920 when foot-and-mouth disease was rampant. Jürg Blaser, the guitarist and pianist of Rattlesnakes, read the poem during the pandemic of 2020 and was astounded by its topicality. Shortly before, Jürg Blaser had himself written a song on the situation regarding the coronavirus. The piece requested freedom – with modern sound and rhythm. Now he couldn’t help putting Lina’s poem to music. To describe the situation in 1920, he chose a style of music which could have been heard at the time. In both cases, 1920 and 2020, the government had curtailed certain freedoms. These restrictions affected many people. For Jürg Blaser, a quotation from Jean-Jacques Rousseau sums it up very well: “I have never thought, for my part, that man’s freedom consists in his being able to do whatever he wills, but that he should not, by any human power, be forced to do what is against his will.” |
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| About the history of the song The coronavirus pandemic was a significant event for everyone. During lockdown, many people felt locked up in their homes. 100 years earlier, in 1920, the dreaded foot-and-mouth disease was rampant. Affected communes were closed off, the Post Office disinfected letters, dances were forbidden, cafes and hotels closed, large events like the Burgdorf Solätte cancelled. Lina Wisler-Beck, living in the Emmental, was then 22 years old and described her experiences in the poem “Längwiligi Zitte” (Boring Times): “Nowhere a local festival, nowhere dancing At home, around the house we languish I’ve been racking my brains What we can yet do, to pass the time.” The poem was rediscovered in 2020 and published on social networks and in newspapers: one can feel the resentment at not being able to make the most of the precious years of her youth. Lockdown becomes a balancing act between one’s own freedom and protecting others. How far can a government go in curtailing freedom, and how much solidarity do we as a society manifest? |
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| 8 | Flight Song “Steu dir vor”, Alizarin, 2022, 2 mins 45 secs Voices Ahmand from the group Alizarin, on the subject of the group, freedom and music, 1 min. Mustafa from the group Alizarin, on the subject of the group, freedom and flight, 1 min. Wintana from the group Alizarin, on the subject of the group, freedom and integration, 1 min. Song “TDME”, Antytila, 2019, sung by Ukrainian pupils from welcome classes in Burgdorf, 3 mins 30. Voices Choir of Ukrainian pupils from welcome classes in Burgdorf, 1 min. |
| Song “Imagine” We are together. Having come from all parts. We want freedom, it is our wish. I am like a sad bird, Hunted from his nest. All I want is liberty And a peaceful life with dignity. Imagine that the path to the north were more open How would it be – no refugee would need papers anymore You are welcome, then you are at home That is the right direction We can find peace If we accept each other Because peace is in our hearts. Imagine that the path to the north were more open How would it be – no refugee would need papers anymore You are welcome, then you are at home That is the right direction 7,000 kilometres, that is the journey made by Abdul, from Kabul through Berne as far as Thoune, the most precious thing he has is his calico turban, his back is covered in scars from Istanbul, he wasn’t able to defend himself, he only speaks Pashto, yet he is happy to be safe, it will be alright. The borders are closed, hearts are locked up, which door would you knock on, if you were in this situation? Imagine that the path to the north were more open How would it be – no refugee would need papers anymore You are welcome, then you are at home That is the right direction |
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| Voices Ahmand Ahmad comes from Afghanistan and sings in the group Alizarin. The group was founded in 2016 in the asylum seekers’ centre where Ahmed was living at the time. A German teacher started to sing some pieces in dialect with the teenage refugees. Soon, the group performed their first concert in the centre. Today, Alizarin has seven members, half of them born in Switzerland, the other half refugees. For Ahmad, music is the language of love and feelings. All human beings understand this language. Music cuts across all frontiers, like religion, culture or the colour of one’s skin. Even if people don’t understand each other, they can meet and communicate through music and its forms of expression. Music offers a feeling of freedom. No prohibition can stop it. Together, the group reinterprets pieces from the country of origin of its members. |
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| Voices Mustafa Mustafa came as a refugee from Turkey to Switzerland in 2019. Because his opinions were different from those of Erdogan’s government, he was regarded as a terrorist and imprisoned. In one single day his life was stolen from him. He lost his job, his training and everything he had built up for himself. All that remained for him was to flee. He had to leave behind his family, his homeland, his friends, give up his life and flee Turkey. The journey was dangerous; thousands of people died in transit. Mustafa is one of the lucky ones who succeeded. Now he is in Switzerland, but the freedom he dreamed of has not yet been achieved. He is continually afflicted and haunted by traumatic memories. For Mustafa, each refugee is a wounded bird, wrenched from the nest. He doesn’t expect the Swiss to tend to his wounds, but that they treat him kindly, and as equals. |
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| Voices Wintana Wintana comes from Eritrea. For her, integration is a way of bringing everyone together. It is more than just assimilation. It’s about mutually accepting one another and showing understanding that not everyone thinks in the same way. When one day she was laughing loudly with friends, an old lady took exception and said that here, we’re not in Africa, and that they were talking too loudly. Switzerland is a free country. However, Wintana is still not as free as she’d imagined. There are many restrictions in her daily life, because with an F permit there are a lot of things that she can’t decide for herself. She has finished her apprenticeship and lives independently. However, she can’t take out a mobile phone subscription or travel abroad. Wintana feels as if she is part of a free country, yet she is not entirely free. |
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| Song “TDME” Slowly, slowly, the marathon stops. You wake up, it was only a dream. There are no false or sly words. Clear head instead of heads. Who drew the film on the screen. Who assigned roles and put on make-up. Who is only a puppet, who pulls the strings. It’s time to understand. Woo-woo-woo… sometimes the wind howls. And the boat heaves on the water. Houh-houh-houh… don’t be afraid At the end of the story, there’s a happy ending. Where we are… Where we are… Where we are… Where we are… On this side of the screen On this side of the screen On this side of the screen On this side of the screen Love freely, kiss slowly. Say goodbye slowly or never. Time is short, we have to go. You want the truth? You have to find it. People are still waking up. People are no longer hiding. New depths are opening up before us. Such an interesting era. Woo-woo-woo… sometimes the wind howls. And the boat heaves on the water. Houh-houh-houh… don’t be afraid At the end of the story, there’s a happy ending. Where we are… Where we are… Where we are… Where we are… On this side of the screen On this side of the screen On this side of the screen On this side of the screen |
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| Voices This piece is sung by Ukrainian children. Following the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022, they were forced out of their homeland and fled the war by coming to Switzerland. Since then, they have found a new home in Burgdorf. They study in what are called welcome classes, which were created especially for them. Throughout its history, Ukraine has often fought for its freedom and independence. The children hope and believe that Ukraine will win this war. For the exhibition, they chose the song TDME by Антитіла (Antitila) which is very popular, particularly among young people. The song also shows the feelings of Ukrainians about the current situation: they do not wish to be puppets, but rather to be free. And when the outlook sometimes appears bleak, the song’s words give strength: “Don’t be frightened. At the end of the script there’s a happy ending”. |
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| 9 | Sing also! What does freedom mean today? In this soundproofed box, you can express your ideas on freedom. Whether you sing them, speak them, rap them or yodel them – give free rein to your opinions. The Burgdorf musician, Tim Rebmann, will create a new song on freedom from the visitors’ input. No idea at the moment? You can also transmit your thoughts on freedom later. Send an audio message of 15 seconds maximum to museum@schloss-burgdorf.ch |
| 10 | Sing on Increase the intangible cultural heritage For more than 200 years, the people of Burgdorf have been singing in choirs. Do you fancy singing too? The choirs love to have new voices. Aemmitaler-Chörli: the yodelling club thrives on tradition and conviviality – preferably in traditional costume. www.jk-aemmitaler-choerli.ch Alizarin: the inhabitants of the Emmental, with or without experience of migration, sing together pieces from here and there. www.facebook.com/alizarinband/ Cantabella Burgdorf: the mixed choir sings pieces of all genres. Besides ehearsals and concerts, sharing of convivial moments is part of the choir life as well. www.cantabella.ch Konzertchor Burgdorf: young and less young people sing demanding choral music from all eras. The highlight of the year is the concert in the municipal church. www.konzertchor-burgdorf.ch |
| Head of project: Daniel Furter Scenography: Nela Weber and Pia Hönger Collaboration, research: Tamara Suter Sound and recording engineer: Tim Rebmann Sound pieces: Christina Caprez, Martin Bezzola, Céline Rhiannon Moos Editing: Sarah Caspers Translations: Mirjam Grob, Paul Corken, Gabriel Sidler A huge thank you to the choirs and music groups for having participated in the discussion and creation, for the coordination, writing, rehearsals and songs. You made this exhibition possible! Thanks to the Museum.BL, Liestal for the music box used for the second time in this exhibition. We thank for their support of this project: Bernische Winkelried- und Laupenstiftung Burgergemeinde Bern Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft Burgdorf Ursula Wirz-Stiftung Vontobel-Stiftung Zwillenberg-Stiftung Förderclub des Museum Schloss Burgdorf www.schloss-burgdorf.ch/club |