The sheng is a free-reed wind instrument of Chinese origin that dates back 3,000 years, recalling a cross between an organ, synthesiser and accordion and certain to fascinate the most curious listeners. Chinese virtuoso Wu Wei has dedicated his life to this instrument, which features a sound box paired with a number of bamboo canes (usually 13), building an incredible global career. The concert opens with Šu by South Korean composer Unsuk Chin: a piece she says she wrote while recalling hearing the sound of the shengas a child, far off among the mountain valleys. And what better place for it than before Mahler’s fourth symphony, a hymn to nature that culminates in the celestial atmosphere of an allegorical lied that offers a childlike view of the wonders of paradise. All performed by the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, conducted by Markus Poschner, with the voice of acclaimed soprano Hanna-Elisabeth Müller.
