Photos: © Anja Wechsler, 2004 | www.anjawechsler.de

"Red hair, green strung violin - Monika Drasch is not exactly a typical Bavarian folk musician" Folkworld

Lower Bavarian

Green violin with Bairisch Diatonischer Jodelwahnsinn

Zither and vocals in Zitat: BACHMANN, Ingeborg

Yodelling on Fön and Trad II

www.monikadrasch.de

An audio book and literature music project, begun in 2003 by Sylvia Treudl, Monika Drasch and Cordula Bösze. In this project the three artists approach the myth of the Austrian poet, Ingeborg Bachmann (1926 - 1973) and follow the tracks of this celebrated and reviled literary figure with their interpretations of quotations, lyrics and their reception.

Edition Aramo, Wien/Austria 2003
ISBN: 3-937131-90-6 | aramo.ulnoe.at

Photo: (L-R) Sylvia Treudl, Monika Drasch and Cordula Bösze
© Michael Stiller

Together, Josef Brustmann, Monika Drasch and Otto Göttler formed Bairisch Diatonischer Jodel-Wahnsinn (Bavarian Diatonic Yodel-Madness). The band performed a mixture of folk music with critical, funny lyrics and a bit of cabaret. Each member played a number of instruments, covering between them: zither, diatonic concertina, trumpet, tuba, saxophone, alphorn, clarinet, ocarina, Russian whistle, cow horns, bagpipes, violin, contrabass, cello, ukulele, hurdy-gurdy, harmonica, harp, balaphon, bandoneon, saw, drum, guitar, recorder, and (for heavy metal) frying pan.

Three CDs were produced (Aus tiefster Brust, Ausflug and Sägenlieb) and the band played everywhere from alehouses to festival tents filled with 3000 people. After playing together for ten years, Bairisch Diatonischer Jodel-Wahnsinn went their separate ways in 2002.

"On the stage stood three musicians, Otto Göttler, Monika Drasch and Josef Brustmann, between them they played about 20 instruments, from guitar to bagpipes and let everything that provides for conversation at a Munich regulars' table come off badly: Lauschangriff, McDonald's, the ARD, the Munich tenement building speculators and the bribes around various German politicians. The central figure on the stage was certainly "Moni", a corky sprite with a green violin and a gift of the gab that really made itself felt. But, as a spectator observed, the other two needed "to just open their mouths and I was under the table with laughter"." [OÖN]

Aus tiefster Brust Released 1995 :: Buy at Amazon CD 7432 127006 2	Ausflug Released 1996 :: OUT OF PRINT CD 71875 07131 2	Sägenlieb Released 1999 :: Buy at Amazon CD 7243 847870 2