Tan Dun's 'Nu Shu: The Secret Songs of Women' Travels the Globe
18th March 2014
© TanDunOnline.com
In one stroke, Tan Dun honors the sacrifices and achievements of the past, and connects it to the future…Tan Dun has given [the lives of women] an artistic expression worthy of its magnitude. — Tom Purdom, Broad Street ReviewNu Shu: The Secret Songs of Women is a deeply researched creation that reveals an extraordinary disappearing vocal and linguistic tradition which passed exclusively between generations of women since the 13th century in Hunan, China. Nu Shu fluently marries anthropology, musicology, history, and philosophy. Thirteen distinct “micro films” — projected on-screen about the lives of mothers, daughters, and sisters as derived from Tan Dun’s field recordings — serve as the conceptual and visual center of the composition. Both a heartrending and enlightening work, harp and orchestra blend this experience into a beautiful holistic message.
To catch Nu Shu, check out the Philadelphia Orchestra’s tour to China in May, visit the prestigious Australian OzAsia Festival in September, or join the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in January 2015.
