Natur Pur

True Muotathalers founded a group to cultivate and preserve traditional Jüüzli and songs of the kind their parents and forebears had already sung – or rather «juuzt».

from left: Kurt Gwerder, Christian Gwerder, Daniel Schmidig, Bernhard Betschart, Geri Schelbert, Heinz Gwerder (photo: 2007)

The Story

What happens when six men from the Muotatal join forces to keep the ancestral songs of their forebears alive? The result is the unique story of Natur pur.

It all began in 2007, when six friends decided to capture old Muotathal Jüüzli and songs on a CD – not in a studio, but recorded live with the simplest of means: wild, genuine and unadulterated. Perhaps it is exactly this authenticity that audiences still value today. The CD has since appeared in a second edition. Because of those natural, unedited recordings, the six Juuzer gave themselves the name Natur pur after this first project. Their first public appearance was on 20 May 2010. So began a stirring period full of cultural engagements, concerts and shared adventures – and the Naturjuuz found a strong voice once again.

But then everything changed: on New Year's Day 2015 the member Geri Schelbert died unexpectedly of heart failure. This grievous loss left a deep wound and raised many questions, yet it bound the friends even more closely together. They realised: we will carry on along our path.

On 27 January 2017 the next work appeared: «Schrägers & Gräders us äm Muotatal», a joint CD with the Schwyzerörgeli formation Echo vom Schattenhalb. Traditional, sprightly dances met heartily sung Jüüzli and wistful Chuäreihäli – the original ancestral song of the Muotatal.

For reasons of time, founding initiator Kurt Gwerder took his leave of the stage on 9 January 2020. After several more successful years, the four remaining friends – Bernhard Betschart, Daniel Schmidig, Christian Gwerder and Heinz Gwerder – finally decided to close the circle too. On 20 May 2024 the group disbanded – on a cheerful, convivial evening of juuzen and singing, exactly as it had all begun.

For 17 years Natur pur could be heard on the most varied stages far beyond Switzerland's borders: at the OBWALD folk culture festival, several times on SRF Potzmusig, at the Appenzeller Ländlerfest, in the Allerheiligen-Hofkirche in Munich, on the Hahneberg in Berlin, at countless cultural events and yodelling evenings – from earthy alpine church services to the stage of the KKL Lucerne. The group is immortalised in several documentary films about juuzen as well. Always along for the ride: a good pinch of Muotathal humour and mischief.

With enthusiasm and delight they represented the Naturjuuz and did what they loved most: singing freely and straight from the soul. In doing so they shaped a piece of contemporary history and moved their audiences with their individual voices, great passion and deep attachment to their homeland.

Both recordings are available in the shop