The String of Destiny
Zach J.
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This piece is my interpretation of Grace Lin’s incredible novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. I first read it when I was in fourth or fifth grade, and it's always stuck with me. It's such a vivid and fantastical tale, and it inspired me to create a sort of soundtrack for the book's story. The piece does work in isolation from the novel, but I think it's more fun to know the whole story behind it.
Much like the novel, this piece follows a protagonist who lives in a bleak remote village. This protagonist journeys out into the wilderness in search of the String of Destiny. Despite the challenges along the way they manage to find it and bring happiness and stability back to their village. When writing this piece I tried to capture the intense feelings that would come along with such an exhilarating tale, the dreariness of the village, the hope in the protagonist, the mystery of the forest, the intensity of the trials along the way, and the triumph and joy that comes with beating such a monumental challenge.
When I write music, the first thing I do is write themes for different characters or objects. In this piece, there are two main themes. The first is the protagonists theme, which first appears in ms. 18, briefly returns in the middle, and then concludes the piece. This theme represents the protagonist's hope and positivity through its plucky and upbeat melody, and then the protagonist's elation after finishing the journey. The second theme is the conflict theme, which represents all the challenges the protagonist faces. It partially appears in the opening violin solo, before becoming more present in ms. 64, and then becomes particularly dark in ms. 80. It's use of the Phrygian mode (and the emphasis of the flat 2) gives it a darker sound, especially when compared to the protagonist's theme which uses the major pentatonic scale.
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For me, composition has always been an outlet for me to express myself in a way I feel words cannot. This ability music has, to portray emotions, rather than physical ideas, has helped me work through different experiences and emotions. In this way, composition has truly impacted my life.
