This article is about the piece on the soundtrack. For the spacecraft, see Shenzhou Capsule.
Shenzou is the fifteenth track on the Gravity Soundtrack.
It is often thought of by fans as the best track on the album.
Description[]
Shenzou is a triumphant piece. Played during the entry of the Shenzhou and the re-entry sequence, it starts off with techno music creating a race-against-the-clock feel which builds suspense to see if Dr. Stone will get into the Tiangong-1 before it breaks apart in the Earth's atmosphere. After she detaches from the Tiangong-1, there is a faint explosion heard as the Tiangong breaks apart during re-entry. Suddenly an orchestra breaks out and plays violins, turning the mood from suspenseful and engaging to triumphant and relieving. After the Shenzhou breaks apart into its capsule, the music gets louder and faster, making for an equally satisfying experience. Eventually the theme builds to a climax when Stone lands in a lake and nearly drowns, whereupon the music becomes suspenseful once again as the score goes from an orchestra to the repeating alarm of the Shenzhou. The theme comes to a close after Stone escapes the Shenzou and swims to shore. At this point, there is no music. Instead it is relying on the peace and quiet of Earth along with the occasional noise of aquatic wildlife to give the audience a chance to breathe and, like her, adjust to how different Earth is from a spacecraft like the Shenzhou.
It took Steven Price six months to write Shenzou.
Trivia[]
- This track is misspelled, as the craft Ryan is in during reentry is actually spelled, "Shenzhou".
- "Shenzou" along with "Gravity" are the most well-received tracks in the album.
| |||||