What is Volksmusik?

Volksmusik is the common umbrella designation of a number of related styles of traditional country music from the Alpine regions of Austria and Germany. It tends to be dialect-heavy and invokes local and regional lifestyles and traditions, particularly those of the Alpine farmers and rural people.

Typical instruments include the steirische harmonika (a special kind of button accordion) and acoustic guitars and even zithers, harmonicas and alpenhorns.

Volksmusik continues to be performed by many local groups throughout the Europeon Alpine region and in many other countries where much of the population is of Austrian or German descent.