Anno 1811 – The Origins of Wind Bands in Switzerland

“In the year 1811, this music society was formed,” noted a musician from the Rorschach wind band in his music book. Two hundred years ago, wind bands were forming in many places, usually featuring several ‘Turkish’ percussion instruments.

The Klingendes Museum Bern holds 20 original instruments and 49 music books from such a wind band of the early 19th century. As a uniquely multifaceted source, this collection documents the beginnings and early developments of wind band culture in Switzerland, as it is still practised today.

The special exhibition ‘Anno 1811’ brings this to life through sound: alongside the original instruments and sheet music, it features videos of a performance of this music as well as documents from the period.