Living in Future

After years of research, Tan Dun has captured in this thirteen-movement micro film symphony, the musical life and spirit of Nu Shu, a disappearing language with a long vocal tradition created by women for women in Hunan, China in the 13th century. Combining the fields of anthropology, musicology, history and philosophy, Tan Dun weaves heartrending stories of Nu Shu women through song script and historical environment. The twelve “micro films” about mothers, daughters and sisters’ lives, derived from Tan Dun’s field recordings, serve as the center of his composition. Tan Dun selected harp as the solo instrument for the piece, because of “its beautiful feminine sounds” and distinctive physical shape – similar to one of the ancient Nu Shu characters. Merging these elements together, Tan Dun has created a new musical form from the Nu Shu tradition – originally whispered in corridors and hidden on fans, the music now navigates entirely new boundaries of time, place and culture.