Mani Matter (4 August 1936 in Herzogenbuchsee – 24 November 1972 in Kilchberg, Zurich, officially Hans-Peter Matter) was a popular Swiss singer-songwriter.

Mani Matter
Mani Matter (1970)
Mani Matter (1970)
Background information
Birth nameHans-Peter Matter
Born(1936-08-04)4 August 1936
Herzogenbuchsee, Switzerland
Died24 November 1972(1972-11-24) (aged 36)
Kilchberg, Zurich, Switzerland
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1965–1972
LabelsZytglogge
Websitewww.manimatter.ch

Biography

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Mani Matter was born on 4 August 1936 in Herzogenbuchsee, Canton of Bern. His father, Erwin Matter, was a lawyer, his mother, the Dutch woman Wilhelmina Matter-de Haan, was a secretary. He had a two years older sister, Helen Matter.

Growing up in Bern, he started to perform his own chansons in contemporary Bernese German at local venues and on the radio; he accompanied himself on the guitar. He was an active Boy Scout in the Pfadicorps Patria in Bern[citation needed] and he performed his first own songs during Boy Scout evenings. He also performed together with the Berner Troubadours (Bernese troubadours). He was killed in a car accident on his way to a concert and is buried in the Bremgartenfriedhof in Bern.[1] Mani Matter's literary estate is archived in the Swiss Literary Archives in Bern.

Legacy

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His Bernese German songs remain very popular in the Swiss German speaking part of Switzerland, and Matter is a great influence on the dialect music scene in Bern, and his songs are frequently covered. A collection of cover-versions was published in 1992 on the album Matter Rock.[2] Mani Matter's chansons are often taught at school (including classes for adults wanting to learn Bernese German) and are famous for their soft irony.

Discography

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  • 1966 I han en Uhr erfunde (EP, "I invented a watch")
  • 1967 Alls wo mir id Finger chunnt (EP, "Anything I touch")
  • 1970 Hemmige (EP, "Inhibitions")
  • 1972 Betrachtige über nes Sändwitsch (EP, "Contemplations on a sandwich")
  • 1973 Ir Ysebahn (LP, "On the railroad")
  • 1973 I han es Zündhölzli azündt (double-LP, "I lit a match")

References

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  1. ^ Huber, Martin (31 August 2016). "Wo Mani Matter ums Leben kam". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). ISSN 1422-9994. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  2. ^ "What's the Matter?". Berner Zeitung (in German). ISSN 1424-1021. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
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