Carey Tan’s Symphony No. 2, The Cries of War, is a three-movement orchestral work centred on war, memory, reflection, and peace. Rather than merely depicting the outward spectacle of battle, the work reaches into the wounds that war inflicts upon society, life, and the human spirit: from collapse and fear, to contemplation after destruction, and finally to a solemn commitment to peace. For a composer of only twelve years old, the work reveals striking maturity in emotional expression, structural progression, and orchestral imagination. The music makes extensive use of dissonant harmony, chromatic motion, strong dynamic contrasts, and tense rhythmic patterns, creating a sound world of unrest and oppression. Brass and percussion often carry the force of conflict, while the strings suggest grief and inner struggle. Marimba and harp add a colder, more transparent colour, like distant echoes within the memory of war.

The second movement, The Reflection, moves into a more inward-looking space. The dissonance is reduced, the melodic lines become clearer, and the harmony turns softer and brighter. Major and minor seventh chords suspend the music between sorrow and hope, as if humanity were reconsidering life, death, and responsibility after catastrophe. Yet the return of a mournful colour reminds the listener that true peace must still be sought and protected.