What is Swiss sound actually? Christian Zehnder answers his own question in Heimatklänge through his music, as do his musician colleagues Erika Stucky and Arnold Nolder. All three of them work on Alpine folk music and are inspired by it in the most diverse ways. Particularly worth hearing and seeing are the different varieties of wordless singing, called yodeling, and how the borders between singing and vocal expression can always get just a bit more out of control. For the Swiss American Stucky, bringing elements of jazz together with Alpine music means: "If you start to open up your heart, the sound gets longer."
Even Stefan Schwietert's approach is musical. The time that he gives to the musicians and their music and the variety of the images that he uses work together like melody and rhythm. And the Swiss mountain world itself makes a brilliant appearance here, posing the opening question somewhat differently: Is there a connection between the landscape and the way that one sings in it? Indeed, in all the mountain ranges of the world, the answer could only be yes. Followed by a resounding echo.
Anna Hoffmann
Production: Maximage GmbH, Zurich; zero one film GmbH, Berlin
Screenplay: Stefan Schwietert
Cinematographer: Pio Corradi
Format: 35mm (shot on Super-8, HDCam), Color
Running time: 81 minutes
Language: Swiss German
