Making money from yodelling

While some people find yodelling a cacophony of clichés and others consider it a living art form, it is a welcome business opportunity for the people of canton Valais, where the National Yodelling Festival will be held this year. (SRF, swissinfo.ch)

The National Yodelling Festival is organised by the Swiss Yodelling Association and takes place every three years in a different location in Switzerland. It is the climax of a series of local yodelling festivals.

The Swiss Yodelling Association was founded in 1910 in Bern. Among its activities are training, courses, publications and organising national competitions for yodelling, alphorn playing and flag throwing – all Swiss customs that will feature at this year’s event.

The first official National Yodelling Festival was held in Basel in 1924. This year will see the 30th edition held in Brig from June 22-25. Up to 15,000 yodellers, flag throwers and alphorn blowers will be cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd of an expected 150,000 visitors.

The origins of yodelling, a form of singing characterised by a rapid change of pitch between the low chest register and the high head register. The original function of yodelling was probably to transmit signals across long distances.