Cellist Yo-Yo Ma spins musical magic in Hong Kong Philharmonic opener
Classical musician joins forces with Wu Tong, player of Chinese instrument the sheng, in a contemplative work played with control and sensitivity. Orchestra sounded radiant, mature and confident playing Bizet
Yo-Yo Ma is a bit like a US president after his final term – he has done it all, has nothing left to prove, and can now devote himself to whatever he likes.
The cellist has been stitching the globe together with music – founding the Silk Road Ensemble and collaborating with the likes of Bobby McFerrin, American bluegrass musicians and tango musicians. It was rewarding to hear him come full circle to Chinese-inspired music, as he did in the lovely concerto for cello and sheng, Duo, by Zhao Lin.
The programme for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra’s opening concert of the 2016-17 season was not about showing off Ma’s virtuosity, but about producing musical magic in slow, contemplative pieces.
Inspired by the Chinese epic Journey to the West, Duo was composed for sheng player Wu Tong and Ma. It is a partnership of two lyrical instruments with liquid, expressive sounds, and Wu was a match for Ma in control and sensitivity.
The sheng, a bamboo mouth organ, is considered the ancestor of the accordion and the harmonica, and can sound like anything from a flute to a muted jazz trumpet.
