Chapter 9: German-American Music in Wisconsin

Brian Brueggen of the Mississippi Valley Dutchmen playing concertina at the Red Barn Polka Festival in Evansville, 1988. Photo: Jim Leary

Art Altenburg on Old-time Weddings | size 407 KB | time 0:51
Art Altenburg discusses how rural families would come together for a wedding, keeping the ethnic traditions alive as described by Rick March.

"Ve Get So Soon Olt" | size 896KB | time 1:54
"Ve Get So Soon Olt," a Scandinavian dialect song, is performed by Sly Groeschl.

Phil Brueggen | size 563 KB | time 0:42
Rick March leads into this clip of Phil Brueggen of the Mississippi Valley Dutchmen, his family's band, by remarking on the role of musical families in Wisconsin.

Ray Dorschner size time 1:11
In an interview by Jim Leary, Ray Dorschner of the Rainbow Valley Dutchmen talks about "Putzig Polka" and "Village Blacksmith Waltz" and the role his hometown had as inspiraiton in the composition of these tunes.

"Putzig Polka" | size 478 KB | time 1:00
"Putzig Polka" by the Rainbow Valley Dutchmen

"Tante Anne " | size 1.2 MB | time 2:31
"Tante Anne" is performed by Jerry Schneider. This is an example of German style polka from eastern Wisconsin.

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