Starry Sky Cycle
Northern Sky
Urmas Sisask : Starry Sky Cycle No. 1
Northern Sky Op. 10
Chapter I Aquarius : Dream
① Aquarius (Water Bearer) : Dream
Chapter II Vulpecula : Restlessness
② Vulpecula (Little Fox) : Restlessness
Chapter III The Milky Way : The Birch and the Fir
③ Delphinus (Dolphin) : Relatedness
④ Canis Major (Great Dog) : Haste
⑤ Coma Berenices (Berenice's Hair) : Transience - "Northern Lights"
Chapter IV The Kalevala Legend : “The Wound on Väinämöinen’s Knee”
⑥ Cetus (Sea Monster) : Longing
⑦ Andromeda (Andromeda) : Strength - "Thunderstorm, Rainbow"
⑧ Boötes (Herdsman) : Vortex
Chapter V The Ostyak Folktale “The Brother and the Sister”
⑨ Lepus (Hare) : Solitude
⑩ Columba (Dove) : Motion
⑪ Taurus (Bull) : Sharpness
Chapter VI The Vogul Legend : “The Celestial Mansion”
⑫ Serpens (Serpent) : Manifestations
⑬ Sagitta (Arrow) : Anxiety
⑭ Corvus (Raven) : Snowstorm
Chapter VII A Story of Happiness – Happiness
⑮ Lyra (Lyre) : Happiness
Chapter VIII The Karelian Creation Myth
⑯ 1. Electra
⑰ 2. Maja
⑱ 3. Taygeta
⑲ 4. Alcyone
⑳ 5. Merope
㉑ 6. Asterope
㉒ 7. Calaeno
Chapter IX The Kalevala Legend : “The Magic Mill of Louhi, Mistress of Pohjola”
㉓ Aries (Ram) : Tension
㉔ Ophiuchus (Serpent Bearer) : Ruin
㉕ Ursa Minor (Little Bear) : Peace
Chapter X The Kalevala Legend : “The Flight of the Heroes of Kalevala”
㉖ Canis Minor (Little Dog) : Confusion
Chapter XI The Ket Legend
Solidification (Orion), Infinity (Hydra), Meditation (Perseus)
㉗ Orion (Hunter) : Solidification
㉘ Hydra (Water Snake) : Timelessness
㉙ Perseus (Perseus) : Meditation
At the Tower of Music and Stars in Jäneda, 2005
Letter from Urmas Sisask
Hello again, Yuko,
At last I finally found the time to listen to the album you sent me.
I feel that you and I share the same understanding of astronomy as a science.
Both of us struggle with music on this restless planet Earth.
Your perseverance has given me new strength and energy.
I was deeply impressed by your interpretation, and I wish you to soar ever higher.
Through the music of the stars, you have completely touched my inner spirit, and I am happy for that.
Let us continue our collaboration!
At last I finally found the time to listen to the album you sent me.
I feel that you and I share the same understanding of astronomy as a science.
Both of us struggle with music on this restless planet Earth.
Your perseverance has given me new strength and energy.
I was deeply impressed by your interpretation, and I wish you to soar ever higher.
Through the music of the stars, you have completely touched my inner spirit, and I am happy for that.
Let us continue our collaboration!
With respect,
Urmas Sisask
Tere jälle Yuko,
nüüd lõpuks ometi jõudin Sinu poolt saadetud albumi läbi kuulata.
Mul on selline tunne, et me oleme ühteviisi aru saanud astronoomiast, kui teadusest.
Me mõlemad oleme kärsitud planeedil Maa muusika kaudu.
Sinu poolne kärsitus andis mulle uut jõudu ja energiat.
Ma olen sügavalt vaimustatud Sinu interpretatsioonist ja soovin Sulle tuult tiibadesse.
Sa tabasid mu hingeelu läbi tähtede muusika kaudu ja selle üle olen ma õnnelik. Jätkuvat koostööd!
nüüd lõpuks ometi jõudin Sinu poolt saadetud albumi läbi kuulata.
Mul on selline tunne, et me oleme ühteviisi aru saanud astronoomiast, kui teadusest.
Me mõlemad oleme kärsitud planeedil Maa muusika kaudu.
Sinu poolne kärsitus andis mulle uut jõudu ja energiat.
Ma olen sügavalt vaimustatud Sinu interpretatsioonist ja soovin Sulle tuult tiibadesse.
Sa tabasid mu hingeelu läbi tähtede muusika kaudu ja selle üle olen ma õnnelik. Jätkuvat koostööd!
Austades
Urmas Sisask
(When he gave me this letter, Sisask was occupied with writing a new piece.)
Urmas Sisask and His Works
One evening in August 1975, a grand piano was left outdoors for repair. He sat down and began to play it. The night sky soon became covered by an immense Milky Way, and above all, Cassiopeia captivated him. Cassiopeia was also the constellation that his grandmother—an amateur stargazer—had once drawn for him. Surrounded by the falling stars, the images quickly transformed into sound, and his first work, Cassiopeia, was born. At the age of fourteen, he wished to “set the entire starry sky into piano music,” and thus resolved to become a musician.
Born on September 9, 1960, in the small Estonian village of Rapla, Sisask studied at the Tallinn Secondary Music School and later at the Tallinn State Conservatory (today the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre), graduating in 1985 from René Eespere’s composition class. In order to observe the stars, listen to them, and leave their presence audible to people in the form of music, Sisask wrote down the music of the heavens using two methods: one was the “intuitive” approach, drawing inspiration from astronomical knowledge and direct star observation; the other was the “mathematical”approach, converting the movements of planets into frequencies and then transposing them into the audible range of the human ear.
Born on September 9, 1960, in the small Estonian village of Rapla, Sisask studied at the Tallinn Secondary Music School and later at the Tallinn State Conservatory (today the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre), graduating in 1985 from René Eespere’s composition class. In order to observe the stars, listen to them, and leave their presence audible to people in the form of music, Sisask wrote down the music of the heavens using two methods: one was the “intuitive” approach, drawing inspiration from astronomical knowledge and direct star observation; the other was the “mathematical”approach, converting the movements of planets into frequencies and then transposing them into the audible range of the human ear.
In 1987, through his analysis of planetary motions in the solar system, he discovered a new sequence of tones: C♯–D–F♯–G♯–A. When rearranged as F♯–G♯–A–C♯–D, it coincided perfectly with the Japanese pentatonic scale. From then on, this sequence became known as the Planet Scale, serving as the foundation for harmony in his works and producing a purity of beauty that is characteristic of his music.
In 1996, Sisask created his own planetarium in Jäneda, the Musical Observatory Tower, where he devoted himself to star observation, composition, concerts, and lectures. He was a prolific composer, driven by primal, mystical energy and quietly realizing his dreams with unwavering diligence. At times he played the piano as if possessed, at other times he performed with a shaman drum, dancing and adding new dimensions to his music—an innate musician who delighted people with his unique ideas.
His works extend across a wide range of genres, including the Symphony No. 2 Polestar, the sacred work Gloria Patri, a cappella compositions, chamber music, musicals, stage works, and film music. His interests span Estonian folk music, shamanism, ritual, and, regarding the night sky, not only Norse mythology but also the legends of the Australian Aboriginal peoples, and in recent years, the starry skies over the equator.
Almost all of his piano works have titles connected to the cosmos: Starry Sky Cycle II – Southern Sky (1995), Sonata Milky Way for piano four hands (1990), Sonata Andromeda Galaxy for two pianos eight hands (1991), The Zodiac (1994), Hexagon in the Sky (1996), Spiral Symphony for piano four hands (1999), Voices of the Universe for four pianos sixteen hands (2002), Starry Sky Cycle – An Ancient Estonian Sky for two pianos (2004), and Sombrero Galaxy for piano four hands (2008). Having composed such works, the day is surely not far when he will have completed music for all 88 constellations in the sky.
Starry Sky Cycle – Northern Sky
Music and Story
Starry Sky Cycle I – Northern Sky Op.10 is a piano cycle that brings together 22 constellation pieces composed during his student years and the suite The Pleiades – Seven Musical Moments, written after he moved to Jäneda. Each constellation piece bears a subtitle, and with the collaboration of folklorist Mikk Sarv, accompanying stories were created. The cycle was premiered in Jäneda in October 1987, with Sisask at the piano and Sarv narrating.
The world-premiere recording was released in 1993, performed by Lauri Väinmaa, the pianist Sisask trusted most deeply. Väinmaa also gave the Japanese premiere in 2000.
The Japanese translation “Starry Sky Cycle” (Ginga Junrei) has sparked some debate. If one translates Cycle simply as “collection of pieces,” the title would mean no more than “Piano Pieces: The Starry Sky.” Yet, when one carefully reads the accompanying stories, Cycle may also be understood as the cycle of the seasons—the “cycle of the stars.” The Estonian title contains no direct reference to “galaxy” or “pilgrimage.” However, through the meticulously structured stories of Mikk Sarv, in which constellations are discovered around the Milky Way as the seasons unfold, one may feel as if undertaking a pilgrimage along the Milky Way itself, contemplating both this world and the next.
The myths and legends interwoven in the stories are not only tied to the constellations but also serve to illuminate the meanings of the subtitles given by Sisask. These subtitles express his intuitive impressions of the stars—impressions that often go far beyond the names of the constellations themselves. Sisask regarded the piano as a “cosmic keyboard” with dozens of octaves, mapping onto the keys even those frequencies inaudible to the human ear, thereby constructing beautiful harmonies.
In Hydra and Orion, Sisask employs extended piano techniques—pressing the strings inside the piano with the fingers of one hand while striking the keys with the other, or plucking the strings directly. Explosive sounds, extremely purified tones, dramatic tension and silence, as well as resonances woven from repeated figures and sustained notes—all these maintain a remarkable balance and harmony, permeating the entire work. By the time one finishes listening, one realizes that one has been enveloped in the boundless world of the Starry Sky.
Accompanying Stories
Preface
The cosmic clock of the universe, which also embraces our Earth, rotates around the North Star with a consistency beyond our imagination, taking nearly twenty thousand years to complete a single cycle. The ancient peoples, with their keen observation of the motions of the celestial bodies, noticed these special periodic movements and gazed at the starry sky with wonder and reverence. The solemn yearly cycle and circulation on Earth also exist in the cosmos. The rebirth of each day and the revival of spring continue eternally.
Chapter I
Aquarius: Dream
The paths of the Sun, Moon, and planets cross the Zodiac. The constellation in which the Sun stands on the spring equinox changes every two thousand years. In the 21st century it shifted from Pisces to Aquarius. Thus begins Chapter I, Aquarius (Dream), expressing humanity’s hopes and expectations for the next two millennia.
Chapter II
Vulpecula: Restlessness
The number of stars that the human eye can distinguish is about six thousand, and all of them belong to our galaxy, the Milky Way. The Milky Way appears to have two branches. When autumn has passed and the cold deepens, the constellation of Vulpecula emerges, as if crossing the darkness that spreads between those branches. The little fox, pricking up its ears at the sound of cracking ice, carefully chooses its path forward.
Chapter III
The Milky Way: The Birch and the Fir
Relatedness (Delphinus)
Hast (Canis Major)
Transience (Coma Berenices)
In autumn, the two branches of the Milky Way remain in the starry sky, and in spring the main stream of the Milky Way remains there as well. The shape of the autumn Milky Way extends into the southern sky like a birch tree. According to belief, the souls of living beings fly with the migratory birds toward the branches of the birch—that is, toward the branching point of the Milky Way.
Delphinus lies in the direction of the road to heaven, which is connected to the center of our galaxy. The main stream of the Milky Way in spring resembles a fir tree, or a swelling bud, which evokes associations of “spring morning” and “birth.” Canis Major lies within this main stream of the Milky Way, while Coma Berenices lies on the line that crosses midway between Delphinus and Canis Major.
Chapter IV
The Kalevala Legend: “The Wound on Väinämöinen’s Knee”
Longing (Cetus)
Strength (Andromeda)
Vortex (Boötes)
The Milky Way galaxy gathers more than one hundred billion stars. Cetus, Andromeda, and Boötes are positioned on a line that intersects the Milky Way like a cross, and around them lie galaxies and star clusters that resemble the Milky Way itself. Within Cetus is the star Mira, whose brightness varies. In the Finnish Kalevala legend, there is a tale of Väinämöinen, a bard and sorcerer, who once cut his own knee with an axe. Unable to stop the bleeding, he wandered in search of a spell to staunch the wound. Mira has been likened to the wound on Väinämöinen’s knee.
Chapter V
The Ostyak Folktale “The Brother and the Sister”
Solitude (Lepus)
Motion (Columba)
Sharpness (Taurus)
“The brother left his home, took the daughter of the Sun as his wife, and came to dwell in the sky. The sister’s habit of eating people worsened, and she devoured all humankind. When the brother returned from the sky, the sister tried to eat him as well. As he fled, he used the magic he had received from the Sun when descending from the sky— a stone, a comb, and a burning ember. Yet in the end, it became a tug-of-war between the sister and the Sun, and he was torn into two parts.
The sister obtained the part with the heart, while the Sun took the part without the heart. The Sun lifted this into the winter sky, high among the constellations Lepus, Columba, and Taurus. Even on nights of the full moon, the brother appears melancholy, because his heart cannot be found.” (Ostyak legend)
Lepus, Columba, and Taurus all lie within half of the Milky Way—thus, within half of the entire sky. In summer, the Sun crosses this part as it rises high above the earth. In winter, the full moon rises mournfully in this region.
Chapter VI
The Vogul Legend: “The Celestial Mansion”
Manifestations (Serpens)
Anxiety (Sagitta)
Snowstorm (Corvus)
On autumn nights, the Milky Way galaxy looks like a great celestial mansion filling the entire sky. The space between its two branches resembles the doorway of the mansion. Serpens (Caput and Cauda) and Sagitta stand at the place of the doorway’s pillars, while Corvus lies at the edge of the mansion’s window frame.
In the Vogul legend “The Celestial Mansion”, a wise owl sits on the window frame and engages in dialogue with the Father of the Sky. If the Father of the Sky had submitted to the will of the Mother of the Sky, the birds and animals would have been slain. Thanks to the owl, however, confusion and destruction were averted, and peace was restored.
Looking up at the starry sky, one may be reminded of this celestial mansion, and recall the story that has been told.
Chapter VII
A Story of Happiness
Happiness (Lyra)
Lyra is seen most clearly on autumn and winter nights. Autumn quietly withdraws, soundless, together with the falling of the leaves. Beneath the carpet of fallen leaves lie new buds and seeds—the hope of life for the coming year. Perhaps happiness is found in noticing the nature close at hand, and in having time to reflect upon one’s own existence.
Chapter VIII
The Karelian Creation Myth
In spring, when the Pleiades appear in the night sky, the Nordic lands celebrate Pentecost. According to the myth of creation, the earth was formed on this day, and living beings were created one week later.
“Two creators, God and the Devil, together shaped the earth. Yet in the end, God claimed the earth for Himself, and the Devil was left to dwell only in the deep crevices of the land.”
In Estonia, the Pleiades are called the “Heavenly Sieve,” while in Greek mythology they are known as “the seven daughters of Atlas.” In Seven Musical Moments “The Pleiades”, one may hear the daughters dancing freely from spring to summer. But when the Pleiades shine in autumn, the dark cleft between the two branches of the Milky Way appears—reminding us, too, of the Devil.
Chapter IX
The Kalevala Legend: “The Magic Mill of Louhi, Mistress of Pohjola”
Tension (Aries)
Ruin (Ophiuchus)
Peace (Ursa Minor)
Aries and Ophiuchus face each other across the Milky Way, like the great blades of a watermill turning around the axis of Polaris in Ursa Minor. They call to mind the magical mill Sampo from the Kalevala.
“When Louhi, Mistress of Pohjola, hid the Sampo within the rocky mountains, a terrible winter began. The heroes of the Kalevala—Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen, and Lemminkäinen—set out to seize the Sampo. Enraged, Louhi sent forth all the hosts of Pohjola. As the great battle was about to begin, Väinämöinen took up the kantele he had crafted and began to play. Then all the people of Pohjola were soothed by his song and fell into sleep.”
(To be continued in the next chapter)
Chapter X
The Kalevala Legend: “The Flight of the Heroes of Kalevala”
Confusion (Canis Minor)
When Canis Minor appears at midnight, it is a sign of approaching spring storms.
“While the people of Pohjola still slept, the heroes of the Kalevala carried the Sampo out from the rocky mountains and loaded it onto their ship, setting sail southward. Lemminkäinen, the youngest of the heroes, began to sing with joy and excitement, but his voice startled the cranes in the marshes. The frightened cranes let out a cry, and their cries awoke Louhi, Mistress of Pohjola. In the confusion of her pursuit, the Sampo fell into the sea and was shattered into pieces.”
Chapter XI
The Ket Legend
The Ket Legend
Solidification (Orion)
Timelessness (Hydra)
Meditation (Perseus)
Orion dominates the heavens as if in triumph until the middle of winter. As spring approaches, Hydra rises from beyond the horizon, stretching across half the sky. Orion is then driven away, as if stripped of the ability to turn and of the sense of time, and eventually disappears.
“Tog, the first shaman of the Ket people—who could freely travel between the heavenly and earthly worlds, between this life and the next—sought to lead all the Ket people living along the Yenisei River in Siberia to the heavenly world. Yet he met a crisis beyond all expectation, and the plan ended in failure.” (Ket legend)
When we go far beyond our own limits, our plans falter and we stumble along the way. At the end of winter, when Perseus lingers in the western sky and life is about to be renewed, it is a time to meditate upon both our possibilities and our limitations. With the revival of spring, the annual Starry Sky Cycle begins anew—and this cycle repeats eternally.
(Commentary, translation & summary: Yuko Yoshioka / Original story: Mikk Sarv)
Yuko Yoshioka, Piano
Yuko Yoshioka began studying piano at the age of four under the guidance of her mother. She graduated from Saitama Prefectural Urawa Daiichi Girls’ High School, then completed her studies at Musashino Academia Musicae and its graduate school. She performed in the Graduation Concert and the Newcomers’ Concert. Her principal teachers in piano were Sazare Fukumoto, Kyoko Nagashima, Gerhard Berge, Max Martin‐Stein, Shoichi Yamada, and Erzsébet Tusa. She studied piano duo performance with Henriette Puig‐Roget and chamber music with Marguerite France. She won 2nd Prize at the 1st All-Japan French Music Competition organized by the Japan Performers’ Association and received the Excellent Newcomer Award at the audition of the Oikawa Music Office.
While still a student, she participated in numerous music festivals, master courses, and seminars both in Japan and abroad. At the Verbier Festival (Switzerland), she studied in the masterclasses of Bella Davidovich and Joseph Kalichstein, and was selected to perform in the Academy Final Concerts in both solo and chamber music. In 1995, she gave her debut recital at Pario Hall. In 1997, at a music festival in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, she appeared with the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra, performing concertos for two pianos by Mozart and Poulenc. In her 2004 recital program, which included Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1, she introduced works by Arno Babajanian alongside those of Urmas Sisask, and since then the music of Estonia and Armenia has become an important part of her repertoire.
In 2005, she visited Urmas Sisask at his “Musical Observatory Tower” in Jäneda, Estonia, where she received direct guidance from the composer. Together with pianist Takahiro Akiba, she later founded the Estonian Music Project, presenting such programs as the complete Starry Sky Cycle No. 2: Southern Sky (Japanese premiere, 2005), the complete Starry Sky Cycle No. 1: Northern Sky (2008), and A Feast of Estonian Piano Music (2011), among others, actively promoting Estonian piano music.
Since 2005 she has also performed annually at the “Yatsugatake Kogen Music Hall Four Seasons Concerts” organized by the Yatsugatake Kogen Lodge. There, she has collaborated with astrophotographer Tetsuo Aruga as well as with numerous wind and string players, giving more than 70 performances.
Currently, in addition to her activities as a pianist, she teaches piano at the Music Department of Saitama Prefectural Omiya Koryo High School, dedicating herself to the education of younger musicians.
In 2005, she visited Urmas Sisask at his “Musical Observatory Tower” in Jäneda, Estonia, where she received direct guidance from the composer. Together with pianist Takahiro Akiba, she later founded the Estonian Music Project, presenting such programs as the complete Starry Sky Cycle No. 2: Southern Sky (Japanese premiere, 2005), the complete Starry Sky Cycle No. 1: Northern Sky (2008), and A Feast of Estonian Piano Music (2011), among others, actively promoting Estonian piano music.
Since 2005 she has also performed annually at the “Yatsugatake Kogen Music Hall Four Seasons Concerts” organized by the Yatsugatake Kogen Lodge. There, she has collaborated with astrophotographer Tetsuo Aruga as well as with numerous wind and string players, giving more than 70 performances.
Currently, in addition to her activities as a pianist, she teaches piano at the Music Department of Saitama Prefectural Omiya Koryo High School, dedicating herself to the education of younger musicians.
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Production Credits
Produced by: Oasis Sound design inc.
Recording Engineer: Shinya Uno
Mastering Engineer: Yoshiyuki Kanamori
Recording Dates: July 6 and 28, 2011
Recording Venue: Oasis Studio Home
Piano: Bösendorfer Model 275
Tuning: Osamu Mochizuki
Recording Engineer: Shinya Uno
Mastering Engineer: Yoshiyuki Kanamori
Recording Dates: July 6 and 28, 2011
Recording Venue: Oasis Studio Home
Piano: Bösendorfer Model 275
Tuning: Osamu Mochizuki
Photography:
Tetsuo Aruga (astrophotography)
Osamu Yoshioka
Yoshiyuki Kanamori
Osamu Yoshioka
Yoshiyuki Kanamori
Layout Design: Ayako Chiba
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Editorial Note (Revised Edition)
This English version has been lightly revised from the 2011 liner-note translation to correct terminology and standardize names. The aim is clarity and accuracy—not to alter Sisask’s intent or the substance of the original Japanese text.
(Yuko Yoshioka)
Sisask performing extended piano techniques on the upright piano at his atelier, “Tower of Music and Stars” in Jäneda, photographed on August 17, 2005
From the Performer（From Website）
In 2005, I had the privilege of receiving direct instruction from Urmas Sisask at his atelier “Tower of Music and Stars” in the small Estonian village of Jäneda.
The sound of his piano possessed a mysterious resonance — one that instantly carried me into the boundless world of the starry sky — and reflected the purity of a soul deeply devoted to both music and the cosmos.
All of Sisask’s piano works are inspired by the heavens. His Starry Sky Cycle – Northern Sky (1987), composed by the amateur astronomer Sisask, was his first large-scale work, consisting of twenty-nine pieces named after twenty-two constellations and the stars of the Pleiades. It was through this work that I first discovered him — a meeting that ultimately led to our personal connection. He regarded the piano as a “keyboard of the cosmos,” creating harmonies that mirror the beauty and order of the universe.
For this recording, I used a Bösendorfer Model 275, whose profound resonance perfectly suited his music. Under the skilled craftsmanship of sound engineer Yoshiyuki Kanamori, we were able to create a sonic world distinct from live performance — one that exists only in the realm of recording. (Yuko Yoshioka)
The sound of his piano possessed a mysterious resonance — one that instantly carried me into the boundless world of the starry sky — and reflected the purity of a soul deeply devoted to both music and the cosmos.
All of Sisask’s piano works are inspired by the heavens. His Starry Sky Cycle – Northern Sky (1987), composed by the amateur astronomer Sisask, was his first large-scale work, consisting of twenty-nine pieces named after twenty-two constellations and the stars of the Pleiades. It was through this work that I first discovered him — a meeting that ultimately led to our personal connection. He regarded the piano as a “keyboard of the cosmos,” creating harmonies that mirror the beauty and order of the universe.
For this recording, I used a Bösendorfer Model 275, whose profound resonance perfectly suited his music. Under the skilled craftsmanship of sound engineer Yoshiyuki Kanamori, we were able to create a sonic world distinct from live performance — one that exists only in the realm of recording. (Yuko Yoshioka)
Further Reading and Listening
For a broader overview of Starry Sky Cycle, including earlier volumes and related texts, please visit my blog:
Selected recordings from Starry Sky Cycle are also available for listening