Confusingly joyous: The polka music of the Alpen Musikanten

Alpine music — and more specifically Polka and Oberkrainer — are considered ancient German. But what many people don't know is that the origin is not in the Bavarian or Swiss Alps but in Slovenia. And even down under, polka is not only very popular at Oktoberfest. Phill Nadvesnik and Paul Gillett belong to the trio Alpen Musikanten. In conversation, they explain the origin of the genre, why it is actually dance music and why it is sometimes confusingly joyous.

Die Alpen Musikanten sind (v.l.n.r.) Paul Gillett, Phill Nadvesnik und Peter Grivic Credit: Privat