SUISA’s history is closely linked to the Swiss music scene and Swiss music creators. The latter jointly form the Cooperative of Authors and Publishers of Music: Currently, there are more than 40,000 composers, lyricists and music publishers who have commissioned SUISA to manage their copyrights. It was only natural to devote a lot of space to music in the anniversary book. Music is an emotional experience, and many a strong image can trigger sounds in the mind.
Communications agency LikeBerry AG from Zurich was commissioned to develop concept proposals. SUISA’s Executive Committee decided on the proposal to look back on the past century with an illustrated book; not only on SUISA’s history itself but also on the past 100 years of Swiss music.
Extensive list of topics, unique collection of images
To comprehensively depict ten decades of company and music history in one book is nigh impossible. The task at hand, namely to define highlights of the last 100 years, meant being spoiled for choice. SUISA employees, management staff and board members faced the challenge and the questions at a brainstorming session together with other experts: Which outstanding works and people from the various musical genres should be depicted? What facts and figures should be included? Which key topics from SUISA’s history must be mentioned in the book? A list of 140 topics emerged as a starting point for subsequent content research.
Freelance music journalist and author Markus Ganz was part of the book’s editorial team for the research work and later also for the writing of the text. From picture archives of libraries, museums, media houses, SUISA’s own archives, private persons – with the fund of Sam Mumenthaler (“Sam’s Collection”) being particularly noteworthy ((Link)) – and some photos newly taken by Noë Flum, a unique collection of pictures and stories about SUISA and Swiss music was created, which has never been seen before in this compilation.
The size of the illustrated book was originally planned to cover 100 pages, but in the end, there are now 152 pages, filled with moving, large to double-page photos, informative captions and texts from music history, explanatory graphics and an illustrated SUISA chronicle with the milestones of today’s Cooperative. The anniversary book “Streiflichter auf 100 Jahre Schweizer Musik” (Spotlights on 100 Years of Swiss Music) offers an exciting insight into the last century of Swiss music and the development of the SUISA cooperative. The book is not available in stores but will be handed out as a gift. SUISA would like to express its sincere thanks for the support of all those who contributed to the book with their commitment or content.
