HackBrett, organ pipe, alphorn

The historic organ of the Tonhalle Zurich, now housed in Neumünster Church, meets the authentic sounds of Swiss folk music. The result is a novel ‘folk oratorio’ that weaves narrative elements of the classical oratorio with yodelling, the hammered dulcimer, the alphorn, the Büchel and choral singing. The Wetzikon Singers’ Association and the Bergbrünneli Yodelling Club from Küsnacht, Zurich, form the choral foundation.

The central theme is an old Swiss fairy-tale character from the Grimm’s fairy tale ‘The Three Languages’: a young man from Valais whom his father considers foolish because he brings back no useful experiences from his travels – only the languages of the animals. Yet what begins as a tale of failure leads him on an adventurous journey through Switzerland and far beyond – accompanied by the croaking of frogs, the barking of dogs and the singing of birds, which reveal more to him than any human could ever have imagined. May has woven the narrative of this enchanting fairy tale together with a series of existing, fitting songs to create a folk oratorio.