Return to Homeland
Composer：Shen Lin
The song was inspired by a true story that the Mongolian Torghut groups moved west to the Volga region (1630) and finally returned to their homeland (1771). Sound materials of this composition came from the Mongolian Shawuerden dance in Xinjiang Province, China. The lyrics of the song describe a scene as follows: Beside the clear lake, beautiful girls were dancing with their whole heart while parents were standing around them, playing Shawuerden and singing with joy, which resounded in the valley.
By modifying the Shawuerden dancing music, the piece indicates that tribal people, on their way to homeland, felt the fear of death brought up by the war and plague and longed for life and happiness in their homeland.
The music all begins with uncertainty, with sounds that seem to capture precise directions but are ephemeral, and also crystal sounds that gradually open a broad view based on sounds. But soon, the once beautiful landscape is disturbed by very strong external sounds. The intensity of the sound pattern, rhythm, and deep chanting create a natural counterpoint that makes the discomfort more and more intense until the sense of repression is overwhelming. Suddenly there comes a light ahead as if a holy force is constantly beckoning and guiding you in the distance, and the vast picture of sounds flashed back into your mind.
Return to Homeland was included in the 10th CONCOURS INTERNATIONAL DE COMPOSITION ACOUSMATIQUE Métamorphoses 2018, where it won the ‘Prix du public’ award.
Lin SHEN is associate professor of the Shanghai Normal University - Music College, Director of the Music Technology Department. He was studied music at Shanghai Conservatory of Music and School of Music of Bangor University, and now doing the PhD electroacoustic music project with Andrew Lewis. He is a composer that wrote several Electroacoustic music such asMemories of Folk Songs in Jiashan Region which have been published in Musicacoustica BeiJing 2014 and International Society for Music Information Retrieval Conference（ISMIR）. Alley Children with Happy Moments, Bell and Drum on the Mountain Forest participated in the 2016 IRCAM Forum-WOCMAT Joint Conference. Bell and Drum on the Mountain Forest win the Best Selected Concert Works Award. Memories of Folk Songs in Jiashan Region II （Acousmatic 8channel & interactive） participated in ICMC/EMW 2017 Concert Series II Music New Media Alliance Concert. Return to homeland participated in the 10th CONCOURS INTERNATIONAL DE COMPOSITION ACOUSMATIQUE Métamorphoses 2018, and win the ‘Prix du public’ award. He also is a active musician, in collaboration with English, American, and Chinese musicians performing all around the world.