The MPS Studio features a small exhibition on the history of Swiss graphic art: original works by the Swiss graphic artist, illustrator, and designer
Donald Brun (1909–1999). His work is directly linked to the history of SABA and thus also connected to the environment from which later MPS Records resulted. Hans Pfitzer, the former advertising director at MPS Records, has provided us with 3 pieces of work by Donald Brun left behind. Today, you can admire them at concerts or on guided tours; they hang in the lounge of the historic recording studio.
Among the works in our collection is the Original artwork for the LP „New Call from France“ by the Jef Gilson Nonet featuring Jean-Louis Chautemps, released by SABA in 1966. Today, the album is one of the most sought-after releases from the early history of SABA Jazz. The original design materials are housed at the MPS Studio and offer a direct glimpse into the connection between music production and contemporary graphic design.
The purchase of the LP was made possible by financial support from the Volksbank Villingen-Schwenningen makes it possible.
Left: Jef Gilson Nonet LP (1966) SABA 15081; Right: the original design by Donal Brun, which Hans Pfitzer left us. (Photo: MPS-Studio e.V.)
Donald Brun—a representative of classical Swiss graphic art
Donald Brun was born on October 30, 1909, in Basel. From 1927 to 1930, he studied at Ernst Keiser an apprenticeship as a commercial artist. He then continued his training in Berlin at the Academy of Fine and Applied Arts continued. As early as 1928, he won a poster competition sponsored by the city of Basel. Beginning in the 1930s, he emerged as one of the most influential Swiss commercial artists of his generation.
Brun worked primarily as a poster artist, but was also active as an illustrator, designer, and creator of trade show booths and exhibitions. He created works for numerous well-known companies and brands, including Persil, Gauloises, Bell, Bata, Nestlé, Sandoz, Swissair, and Sabena.
In 1958, he designed a large pavilion for the Swiss delegation at the World's Fair in Brussels.
His works are characterized by precise drawing techniques, a clear visual concept, and often a subtle—and at times decidedly humorous—approach to the subject at hand. Brun viewed commercial art as a form of visual communication: an image should not merely adorn a message, but convey it as directly and memorably as possible.
Left: Saba – Musical Sketches SABA 45112 (1959), featuring, among others, the Hans Koller Orchestra. Right: Saba Sonorama 7″ (1961), with artwork by Donald Brun.
Donald Brun and SABA
Bruns' work for SABA. The Swiss graphic designer created various works for the company. These include, among other things, SABA catalogs and promotional materials. His distinctive visual style can be seen in historical SABA documents as well as in the visual identity he developed for SABA.
Particularly well-known is the one associated with SABA Fir Tree Motif, which became a defining element of the company’s visual identity. The connection between the Black Forest, technology, and music was no coincidence: SABA stood for technical innovation and high-quality consumer electronics, and at the same time, the company’s origins in the Black Forest were a key part of its brand communication.
This combination of technology, music, and design leads directly to the history of MPS Studios. Under Hans-Georg Brunner-Schwer, the music division of the SABA company evolved into the label in the late 1960s MPS – Music Production Black Forest. The graphic design of the releases thus became an important part of the new musical identity.
Two more unusual works by Donald Brun from 1963, owned by MPS-Studio e.V.
An international networker in the field of graphic design
Donald Bruns's influence was not limited to his own designs. In 1952, he was among those who, together with Fritz Bühler and three French graphic designers—Jean Colin, Jacques Nathan-Garamond, and Jean Picart Le Doux—are among the founding fathers of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI). The organization was officially founded in Paris in 1952 and initially had 65 members from ten countries.
The AGI is an international network of leading graphic designers. From the very beginning, its goal has been to promote exchange among prominent designers from different countries and cultures and to advance the field of graphic design. To this day, the AGI sees itself as an international association of renowned designers and has members from numerous countries.
Brun later also took on leadership roles within the organization. In the 1970s, he served as chairman of the AGI and helped further develop the organization institutionally.
Posters designed by Donald Brun: Gauloises (1958), Printemps au Swiss (1945), and Toblerone (undated).
Teacher and influential figure at the Basel School
Donald Brun also had a major influence as a teacher. For many years, he taught at what would later become the Basel School of Applied Arts, where he shaped the careers of numerous young graphic designers. Together with designers such as Niklaus Stöcklin, Herbert Leupin, Peter Birkhäuser, and Fritz Bühler He is considered one of the leading figures of the early Basel School.
His importance was also recognized internationally. In 1964, Brun was appointed documenta III in Kassel invited to join the Graphic Arts Department. His works have been included in international collections and exhibitions. The Swiss Graphic Design Foundation preserves parts of his estate and describes his technical mastery and illustrative ingenuity as essential characteristics of his work.
Donald Brun He remained active as a designer well into his old age. He died on August 15, 1999, in Clarens, near Montreux.
Donald Brun Saba, Commercial Art, ca. 1960
Visual Arts and Music—A Shared Heritage
For the MPS Studio, Donald Brun is of particular interest today mainly because his work brings together two areas that have also shaped the studio’s history: Music and Design.
SABA was not just a manufacturer of radios and consumer electronics. Through its music program, the company became a major promoter and producer of jazz recordings. A few years later, this led to MPS (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald), one of the leading German jazz labels of its time. From the very beginning, the music was also presented visually—through posters, catalogs, record covers, and a distinctive graphic style.
Today, the MPS Studio these works, along with other documents and audio recordings from the history of SABA and MPS. They remind us that the history of a music label isn't just about recordings and musicians. The design that makes a record visible to the outside world is also part of its cultural heritage.
Donald Brun has created an important piece of this story.