Alphorn 102: The Alphorn in Switzerland

The Cantons of Switzerland

Switzerland is composed of 26 self-governing administrative divisions called "cantons." 20 cantons are full cantons, 6 cantons are "half-cantons." Full cantons each have two representatives in the Council of States; half-cantons each of one representative. The half cantons are these three pairs: (1) Obwalden & Nidwalden, (2) Basel-Stadt & Basel-Landschaft, (3) Appenzell Ausserrhoden & Appenzell Innerrhoden.

The Federal Yodeling Association

The Swiss Federal Yodeling Association is the organization comprising three primary Swiss fold traditions: (1) Yodeling, (2) Alphorn-playing (including the Büchel), and (3) Flag-throwing.

Yodeling

Flag-Throwing

The Federal Yodeling Association is called in German: Eidgnössischer Jodlerverband, abbreviated:
E.J.V. (often EJV).

The E.J.V. is composed of 5 regional "Unterverbände" with each regional association comprised of one or more cantons.

The 5 regional associations are, from west to east: WSJV, BKJV, NWSJV, ZSJV, NOSJV.
The numbers in parentheses in the chart below are the number of cantons in each region.
Note that the country of Liechtenstein (Principality of Liechtenstein) is incorporated into the North-East Swiss regional association.

The names of the regional associations are:

Registered Alphorn Players in Switzerland

Each regional association of the E.J.V. is composed of individual clubs. Members in each club and each category (yodeling, alphorn, etc.) are registered with their organization.

In 2018 there were approximately 1,800 registered alphorn players with the EJV. Not every alphorn player is registered with a group. Some estimates suggest there are a total of around 4,000 alphorn players in Switzerland today. By contrast, at the same time there were about 18,000 active registered yodelers.*

* From: Alpine Vibes: The Musical Connection between the Alphorn and Yodeling — Fact or Ideology?
Raymond Ammann, Andrea Kammermann, Yannick Wey; Transl. Gary Martin. Chronos, 2023, p. 15.

[To be continued...]