Since 2017, the Carmel Christkindlmarkt has had the pleasure of welcoming the Midwest Alphorn Retreat players to Carmel’s winter market.
This year, the Alphorn players will not only visit the market but are also being sponsored by the market to visit local schools. While at the schools, they will share the history, culture and most of all the lovely tones of the Alphorn instrument with the students. The students will even have the opportunity to play an Alphorn themselves.
John Griffith of Midwest Alphorn Retreat. (Photo provided)
The Carmel Christkindlmarkt is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit with one goal of conducting educational and cultural activities in Germanic culture through musical performances and cultural presentations.
On Nov. 14, the Alphorn players will visit Carmel High School to present to the German classes. On Nov. 15, they will perform at Lawrence North High School and then in the afternoon at the Center for Inquiry School 2 for Kindergarten through fifth grade students.
History of the Alphorn
Archaeological records of the Alphorn in Switzerland date back nearly 2,000 years. Early instruments in the mountainous regions of the Alps were used for signaling and to announce daily activities.
Since ancient times, the Alphorn has sounded as a part of the daily activities of the shepherds and cowherds of these mountain people. Such melodies became ritual signals for “all is well in the valley” and were passed down through countless generations, from shepherd father to shepherd son.
The instrument has a four-octave range. Since the Alphorn has no keys, valves, or slides, the player can only produce pitches in the horn’s overtone series. Due to its conical bore, increasing in size from the mouthpiece to the end of the bell, the Alphorn produces a mellow and reverberant sound that can carry for miles.