Easy Notes
To fill the air in Basel with joy by playing music on alphorns across the Rhine.
We're spreading joy... into the Basel air
About
LYÔBÂLE, ALPHORN POETRY ON THE RHINE
What began as a simple gesture to bring people back together after the COVID pandemic has become a cherished Basel tradition.
The celebration begins at 3:30 p.m. on the Rhine, directly below Basel Cathedral. One hundred alphorn players stand on both sides of the river, while three soloists play from the ferry in the middle of the Rhine. Conductors lead this unique performance, which centers each year on a new composition by a guest composer. The sound carries across the water, transforming the Rhine itself into a natural concert hall.
At 4:30 p.m., the musical journey continues at Basel Cathedral. There, a select group of soloists will perform a program inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach. At 5:00 p.m., the music spills out onto Münsterplatz. The hundred alphorn players of Lyobâle will take up the sounds and musical themes heard in the cathedral and carry them out onto the square for a powerful grand finale.
Lyobâle was born out of a desire to bring people back together after the silence and isolation of the COVID era—and to once again fill Basel’s public spaces with music, friendship, and positive energy. May these sounds continue to connect people, places, and generations long after the last note has faded away.
