Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1956

Eurovision Song Contest 1956

Country|  Switzerland
National selection
Selection process| National final
Selection date(s)| 28 April 1956
Selected entrant| Lys Assia
Selected song| "Das alte Karussell"
and "Refrain"
Selected songwriter(s)| "Das alte Karussell":
Georg Betz-Stahl

"Refrain":

* Géo Voumard
* Émile Gardaz

Finals performance
Final result| 1st: "Refrain"
N/A: "Das alte Karussell"
Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest
|  | 1956 | • 1957►

|
|

Switzerland held a national pre-selection to choose the two songs that would go to the Eurovision Song Contest 1956. It was held on 28 April 1956.

## Before Eurovision[edit]

For their national selection, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation opened a public submission period between January and 20 February 1956 for interested songwriters to submit their compositions.[1] Only songwriters with Swiss citizenship or having been residing in Switzerland for at least ten years were allowed to participate.[1] 402 songs were submitted, with half of them with German lyrics, a third in French and the rest in Italian.[2][3] A jury united in Lugano chose eleven of them for the national final.[2]

### Grand Prix Européen de la Chanson: Finale suisse[edit]

The national final called Grand Prix Européen de la Chanson: Finale suisse was held at the Radio Lausanne Studio de la Sallaz in Lausanne on 28 April 1956 at 20:45 CET (19:45 UTC).[3][4][5] It was broadcast on TSR and SRG as well as on the radio stations Beromünster, Sottens and Monte Ceneri.[4][5] Fritz Schäufele [de] commented the final for the German-speaking radio and TV.[4][5] The final was directed by Jean-Jacques Lagrange [fr], and presented by Raymond Colbert [fr].[5][6] The studio audience consisted of invited guests and journalists.[7]

Eleven songs were sung by Jo Roland, Anita Traversi and Lys Assia.[3][5] They were accompanied by the Orchestra Radiosa under the direction of Fernando Paggi.[5] Seven songs were sung in French, three in German, one in Italian.[8] Four entries had been written by Radio Lausanne's own Émile Gardaz and Géo Voumard.[3] The accordeonist duo Les Frères Domergue and the harmonica group Trio Hill Billy's were interval acts.[6][9] The puppet group Compagnie des marottes and André Robert seem also to have participated in the show.[5][10]

A professional jury of nine members watched the songs from inside the studio, and then decided the winning songs in a secret vote, with three members each representing each of the languages German, French and Italian.[3][11] One of the jury members was Father Kaelin.[12]

The winning song "Refrains" was co-written by Émile Gardaz and Géo Voumard, and "Das alte Karussell" was written and composed by Georg Betz-Stahl.[6][13][14]

National final – 28 April 1956[12][15][16] R/O  | Artist  | Song  | Composer  | Lyricist

|
|
|
|

1  | Jo Roland  | "Vendredi"  | Géo Voumard | Émile Gardaz
2  | Lys Assia | "Sei doch nicht so eifersüchtig"  | Ernst Lüthold [de] | Fredy Schulz
3  | Lys Assia | "Das alte Karussell"  | Georg Betz-Stahl  | Georg Betz-Stahl
4  | Jo Roland  | "L'Allée aux ormeaux"  | Géo Voumard | Émile Gardaz
5  | Anita Traversi | "Bandella ticinese"  | Guido Zanzi  | Luciano Bonato
6  | Jo Roland  | "La ballade des bonnes années"  | Géo Voumard | Émile Gardaz
7  | Lys Assia | "Le Bohémien"  | Roger Pittet  | Guy Loran [fr]
8  | Jo Roland  | "Les deux coquins"  | René de Pascale  | Gilby Caillet
9  | Jo Roland  | "J'ai triché"  | Pierre Gisin  | Jean Destoy
10  | Lys Assia | "Addio Bella Napoli"  | Georg Betz  | Georg Betz
11  | Lys Assia | "Refrains"[a] | Géo Voumard | Émile Gardaz

## At Eurovision[edit]

"Das alte Karussell" was performed second in the contest, following the Netherlands and preceding Belgium. "Refrain" performed ninth at the second round with the same order of countries. Both of the Swiss entries were conducted at the contest by the musical director Fernando Paggi.

Each country nominated two jury members who voted for their respective country by giving between one and ten points to each song, including those representing their own country.[19] All jury members were colocated in a separate room in the venue in Lugano and followed the contest via a television set.[17] One of the Swiss jury members was Father Pierre Kaelin.[20][3]

After the jury had held its vote, "Refrain" was announced as the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1956.[18] The placement of all other participating entries is not known.[18]

The final in Lugano was broadcast in Switzerland on TSR and SRG as well as on the radio stations Beromünster, Sottens and Monte Ceneri.[21] Fritz Schäufele [de] commented the final on SRG, Raymond Colbert [fr] on TSR.[22][23]

## Notes and references[edit]

### Notes[edit]

1. ^ Consistently spelled as "Refrains" in reports about the national final[7][8][15] but as "Refrain" in the international Eurovision Song Contest in Lugano.[17][18]

### References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Concours international de la chanson". Radio Je vois tout (in French). Vol. 34, no. 4\. 26 January 1956. p. 152. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
2. ^ a b "A travers le pays: Le grand prix Eurovision 1956 de la chanson européenne". La Sentinelle (in French). 29 March 1956. p. 2. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
3. ^ a b c d e f Kaelin, Pierre (3 May 1956). "Grand-Prix Eurovision 1956 de la Chanson européenne à Radio-Lausanne". La Liberté (in French). p. 13\. OCLC 643528928. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
4. ^ a b c "Die Woche im Bildschirm". Gong (in German). No. 17/1956. 22 April 1956. p. 21\. OCLC 1183386385.
5. ^ a b c d e f g "Radio und Fernsehen". Der Bund (in German). 27 April 1956. p. 9\. OCLC 183307477. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
6. ^ a b c "La finale suisse du concours international de la chanson". Feuille d'Avis de Neuchâtel (in French). 1 May 1956. p. 11. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
7. ^ a b Monique (30 April 1956). "Deux refrains ont été choisis lors de la finale suisse du Concours international de la chanson". Nouvelle Revue de Lausanne (in French). p. 4. Retrieved 10 November 2023 - via Scriptorium.
8. ^ a b "La finale suisse du Grand Prix Eurovision de la chanson européenne". Journal et feuille d'avis du Valais (in French). 7 May 1956. p. 5. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
9. ^ "Fernsehen - näher besehen". Neue Zürcher Nachrichten (in German). 4 May 1956. p. 2 (Edition 2). Retrieved 7 November 2023.
10. ^ "Samedi 28 avril: Sottens". Radio Je vois tout (in French). Vol. 34, no. 16\. 19 April 1956. p. 750. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
11. ^ "Tele-Kommentar". Die Tat (in German). 5 May 1956. p. 21\. OCLC 183307479. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
12. ^ a b "Le Grand Prix Eurovision 1956 de la Chanson européenne". Radio Je vois tout (in French). Vol. 34, no. 18\. 3 May 1956. p. 805. Retrieved 10 November 2023 - via Scriptorium.
13. ^ "Géo Voumard, a Founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, Dies at 87". The New York Times. Agence France-Presse. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
14. ^ "Le Grand Prix de la Chanson européenne. Finale suisse". La Sentinelle (in French). 3 May 1956. p. 4. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
15. ^ a b "Grand Prix Eurovision 1956 de la Chanson Européenne: Concours national". Radio Je vois tout (in French). Vol. 34, no. 13\. 29 March 1956. p. 566. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
16. ^ "En vue du Grand Prix de la Chanson européenne". Feuille d'Avis de Lausanne (in French). 30 April 1956. p. 31\. OCLC 1366343860. Retrieved 10 November 2023 - via Scriptorium.
17. ^ a b Roxburgh, Gordon (2012). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Vol. One: The 1950s and 1960s. Prestatyn, United Kingdom: Telos Publishing. p. 95-100. ISBN 978-1-84583-065-6.
18. ^ a b c O'Connor, John Kennedy (2010). The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official History (Updated ed.). London: Carlton. pp. 8–9. ISBN 978-1-84732-521-1. OCLC 699877063.
19. ^ "Reglement du Grand Prix Eurovision 1956 de la Chanson Européenne (version définitive)" [Rules of the Grand Prix of the Eurovision Song Competition 1956 (final version)] (PDF) (in French). European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 June 2016.
20. ^ "60 milioni di persone guardovano a Lugano: A una romantica canzone della Svizzera francese il G. Premio Eurovisione 1956 della canzone europea" [60 million people watched Lugano: A romantic song from French-speaking Switzerland won the 1956 Eurovision Grand Prix for European song] (in Italian). Giornale del Popolo. p. 2. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
21. ^ "Radio und Fernsehen". Der Bund (in German). 23 May 1956. p. 6 (Abendausgabe). Retrieved 8 November 2023.
22. ^ "Do. 24. Mai". Bild + Funk (in German). No. 21/1956. 20 May 1956. p. 43\. OCLC 643528928.
23. ^ "Avec la télévision romande". La Liberté (in French). 2 June 1956. p. 31\. OCLC 632871126. Retrieved 8 November 2023.

## External links[edit]

* Swiss National Final page
* from Diggiloo Thrush Lyrics & info - Das alte Karussell
* from Diggiloo Thrush Lyrics & info - Refrain

* v
* t
* e

Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Participation|

* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* ~~2020~~
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Artists|

* Lys Assia
* Daisy Auvray
* Marius Bear
* Barbara Berta
* DJ BoBo
* Jane Bogaert
* Annie Cotton
* Paola del Medico
* Henri Dès
* Franca di Rienzo
* Céline Dion
* Simone Drexel
* Duilio
* Egon Egemann
* Piero Esteriore and the MusicStars
* Mariella Farré
* Remo Forrer
* Furbaz
* Pino Gasparini
* Géraldine
* Gjon's Tears
* Luca Hänni
* Michael von der Heide
* Kathy Leander
* Pepe Lienhard Band
* Lovebugs
* Gianni Mascolo
* Véronique Müller
* Jean Philippe
* Francine Jordi
* Patrick Juvet
* Piera Martell
* Paolo Meneguzzi
* Esther Ofarim
* Madeleine Pascal
* Peter, Sue and Marc
* Pfuri, Gorps and Kniri
* Rainy Day
* Mélanie René
* Carol Rich
* Anna Rossinelli
* Rykka
* Sebalter
* Sandra Simó
* Daniela Simons
* Sinplus
* six4one
* Takasa
* Timebelle
* Anita Traversi
* Vanilla Ninja
* Carole Vinci
* Christa Williams
* Yovanna
* Zibbz
* Arlette Zola

Songs|

* "Das alte Karussell"
* "Amour on t'aime"
* "Apollo"
* "Bonjour, Bonjour"
* "Boys Do Cry"
* "Canzone per te"
* "Celebrate"
* "C'est la chanson de mon amour"
* "Cielo e terra"
* "Cinéma"
* "Cool Vibes"
* "Dans le jardin de mon âme"
* "Dentro di me"
* "Djambo, Djambo"
* "L'Enfant que j'étais"
* "Era stupendo"
* "Giorgio"
* "Guardando il sole"
* "The Highest Heights"
* "Hunter of Stars"
* "I miei pensieri"
* "If We All Give a Little"
* "Il pleut de l'or"
* "In Love for a While"
* "Io così non ci sto"
* "Io senza te"
* "Les Illusions de nos vingt ans"
* "Irgendwoher"
* "Je vais me marier, Marie"
* "Lass ihn"
* "The Last of Our Kind"
* "Mikado"
* "Mein Ruf nach dir"
* "Mister Music Man"
* "Moi, tout simplement"
* "Moitié, moitié"
* "Mon cœur l'aime"
* "Musik klingt in die Welt hinaus"
* "Ne partez pas sans moi"
* "Ne vois-tu pas ?"
* "Non, à jamais sans toi"
* "Nous aurons demain"
* "Pas pour moi"
* "Piano, piano"
* "Quel cœur vas-tu briser ?"
* "Refrain"
* ~~"Répondez-moi"~~
* "Retour"
* "Le Retour"
* "She Got Me"
* "Sto pregando"
* "Stones"
* "Swiss Lady"
* "T'en va pas"
* "Time to Shine"
* "Tout l'univers"
* "Trödler und Co"
* "Unbreakable"
* "Vampires Are Alive"
* "La vita cos'è?"
* "Viver senza tei"
* "Vivre"
* "Watergun
* "Welche Farbe hat der Sonnenschein?"
* "You and Me"

* Note: Entries scored out signify where Switzerland did not compete

* v
* t
* e

Eurovision Song Contest 1956

Countries|

* Belgium
* France
* Germany
* Italy
* Luxembourg
* Netherlands
* Switzerland

Artists|

* Mathé Altéry
* Michèle Arnaud
* Lys Assia
* Corry Brokken
* Dany Dauberson
* Fud Leclerc
* Mony Marc
* Jetty Paerl
* Freddy Quinn
* Franca Raimondi
* Walter Andreas Schwarz
* Tonina Torrielli

Songs|

* "Amami se vuoi"
* "Das alte Karussell"
* "Les Amants de minuit"
* "Aprite le finestre"
* "Il est là"
* "Im Wartesaal zum großen Glück"
* "Messieurs les noyés de la Seine"
* "Ne crois pas"
* "Le Plus beau jour de ma vie"
* "Refrain"
* "So geht das jede Nacht"
* "Le Temps perdu"
* "De vogels van Holland"
* "Voorgoed voorbij"

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