Swiss Steelpan History

The steelpan has been spreading outside it's homeland Trinidad mainly through Caribbean expatriots, but Switzerland is able to look at a rather self-dependent history of evolution of the steelpan and steelbands. This article describes the growth of steelpan in Helvetia.

Beginnings

It can be stated with fairish assurance that an englishman by the name of Steve Berg has been the first person to actually build and tune a steelpan instrument in Switzerland (see picture). After visiting Carnival in Trinidad in 1962, Berg settled in Freiburg im Uechtland in 1964. Following a gig of a steelband at the Compoir Suisse in Lausanne 1972, Berg began to build a few instrument with guidance of the book „Steeldrums, how to play them and make them“ (Oak Publ. New York, 1964). Interestingly, Berg came up with the idea to place the notes on a Soprano Pan according to the circle of fifths, without knowing that this layout has been in use since several years.

Through the seventies, the steelpan has been basically unknown in Switzerland. Steelbands played sporadically in renowned Hotels, mostly small sides from England. Larger orchestras were seldom to be enjoyed at Festivals or city celebrations (Berne-Fest 1976).

During the years 76/77, a rapid growth could be observed. In the city of Zürich this growth happened with the support of the carnival culture. Sterling Betancourt shall be mentioned as the initiator, a trinidadian living in England and often playing in Zürich hotels. In Berne, Alex Santschi and Felix Rohner were caught by the „pan-jumbie“ during a performance of a trinidadian steel orchestra during the city celebration in 1976. After this experience, Santschi and Rohner literally went to the forest and tried to build instruments. In Basel, the trinidadian Michael Cazaubon founded a group called Steel Harmonites in 1976. Steel Harmonites are today the oldest steelband which is still active.

Proliferation
During the 80ties, the steelpan quickly gained growing popularity. In 1983 a community of interest has been founded by the 17 steelbands known at that time. This community had the goal to increase the exchange of information in between the growing pan movement. While Felix Rohner developed his skills in Berne, Matthias Kauer launched the first retail shop of it's kind for steelpan instruments in Europe in 1984. In 1986, Ralph Richardson from Trinidad established himself in Zürich and founded the group Evolution, a steelband which was musically unmatched for several years. A lot of panplayers left their „motherbands“ and formed new groups. Samuel Graf should be mentioned, which left the Bernese Oil Company and built up a formation in Lyss the biggest association of steelpan up to today.

The year 1985 saw the birth of Switzerlands first children-steelband Nägeligass. A couple of today wellknown musicians came out of that band (Claudio Pini, Pans; Samuel Baur, Drums; Gawan Seiler, Reggae-singer; also musical instrument maker Sabina Schärer). Around 70 steelbands were founded in the german part of Switzerland during the 1980ies.

In 1987, the first national steelband festival took place in the old town of Berne. 27 steelbands from all over Switzerland took part. Quote of Dr. Peter Zünd, chairman of the festival:“ ...it is one of the very few non commercial events in Switzerland.“ The motto of the festival was „Thank you Trinidad“. Eventually, swiss steelbands started to look over the borders of their small country. In 1986 the „Karibikschwärmer“ performed in Denmark, while „Steel Harmonites“ visited the USA. Lateron, swiss groups invited foreign bands (Latchmere Youth, London; Steel Tempo, Manchester; Trinidad Casablanca, Port-of-Spain).

Evolution
The numbers of steelbands were doubled in the 90ies, since the possibility of obtaining instruments from local manufacturers as well as salesmen increased. Steelbands took part in the trinidadian panorama competition (Bernese Oil Company '92) and travelled to Barbados (Pan Network '92). Steelbands performed regularly in the hotel and restaurant industry (Bagages '94). 1996 was the first time that a swiss orchestra ( SNSO, '96) performed at the Pan is Beautiful-Competition in Trinidad. Steelbands were featured in swiss television (Benissimo) and travelled Europe.

Panmaking in Switzerland

Only few persons did build instruments for their bands (Graf, Lyss; Cazaubon, Basel; Gränicher, Langenthal). The man to lead the way in swiss panmaking is Felix Rohner from Berne. Being occupied with panmaking since 1976, Rohner founded the Steelpanfactory Berne in 1985 and steelpan building became his regular occupation. He provided instruments to a couple of dozens of steelbands between 1985 and 1993. He also offered his services to tune instruments. The formation of more than 40 school and youth orchestras can be credited to Felix Rohner. Through studying masterpieces, namely from Ellie Mannette and Trinidad, as well as exchanging experience with fellow european tuners, Rohner developed his skills of panmaking. He realized the necessity of being able to work with materials of high quality, since the results differed heavily depending on the materials being used. Since this research included a clear business structure as well as a lot of money, the PanArt Steelpanfactory Ltd. Has been founded in 1993 under guidance of Felix Rohner.
Since 1993, PanArt has intensively researched diverse materials (deep-drawing steel, fine corn steel, DP-steel). Additionally, PanArt looked into the subject of accoustics, made sound spectrum analyzis and studied the phenomenon of non-linear sound developements. These researches took place with the help of the german steel industrie (Hoesch) and the ETH Zürich, as well as acousticians and physicists from America.

An essential achievement of PanArt is the developement of a specific process to harden steel sheets for the production of steel instruments, a process which has been patented by PanArt in 1998. In a further step, PanArt developed a press to deep-draw forms for pan making. In the year 2000, PanArt developed a new musical instrument called the . It represents the peak of Rohner's work with steel. The research work of the company PanArt has been recognized internationally and has earned the bavarian state award for innovative hand-work in 2000. Because of the ever increasing demand for HangHang (Plural form), PanArt has discontinued to build steelpans and changed it's name to PanArt Hangbau Ltd.

Meanwhile, there a two pantuners living and working in Switzerland. Werner Egger, swiss, and Esa Tervala from Finland, living in Switzerland since 1994.

Importers and dealers
Parallel to swiss production, there are dealers which import and sell steelpans from England or Trinidad, namely Matthis Kauer (Panorama Steeldrums, Zürich), Walter Streuli (Birmensdorf), as well as Martin Grah (Happydrums, Winterthur). Ralph Richardson (Richardson Steeldrums, Zürich) originally made instruments himself and started to import pans from Trinidad as he got older. These Dealers frequently fly in a pantuner to service the instruments they sell.

The last decade

In comparison to the old days, the steelpan and therefore the steel band has lost a lot of it's exotic bonus. In times of oversaturation and consumption the steelbands fight to find their proper place. While it's been enough in the past to give an audience the tipical „beach-feeling“, spectators increased their claim for good quality of music.
In 2000, two swiss steelbands took part in the European Steelband Festival in Paris. One of the groups (PANCH 2000) achieved the 4th place in competition and therefore qualified for the World Steelband Festival in Trinidad lateron that year. Around the same time, the online platform Pan Jumbie began to emerge, informing on anything related to steelpan and caribbean culture. Pan Jumbie is nowadays one of the most visited sites (concerning pan) on the internet, since this platform constantly delivers a top performance when it comes to informing supporters of steelpan worldwide. In 2004, an association called PANCH (Swiss Steelband Association) has been founded with the goal to ensure contact within the swiss pan movement as well as internationally.

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