Starry Sky Cycle
Equatorial Sky
Urmas Sisask : Starry Sky Cycle No. 4
Equatorial Sky — Wolf and Butterfly Op. 155
Starry Sky Cycle – Equatorial Sky is a unique and visionary work, dedicated as Wolf and Butterfly to two Japanese pianists, Takahiro Akiba and Yuko Yoshioka.
Each constellation, chosen from regions near the equator—where none of the 88 constellations are excluded from view—is accompanied by Greek, Hittite, African, Chinese, Papuan New Guinean, and Native American myths and astral lore, compiled by the composer himself.
A culmination of Sisask’s lifelong exploration of the cosmos, this work transcends time, uniting heaven, earth, and humanity into a single, resonant whole.
Chapter I The Greek Myth of the Phoenix
① Phoenix (Phoenix) : Disquiet Butterfly
② Fornax (Furnace) : Mystery of Colours
③ Sculptor (Sculptor) : Sleeping Beauty
② Fornax (Furnace) : Mystery of Colours
③ Sculptor (Sculptor) : Sleeping Beauty
Chapter Ⅱ An African Story of Apes and Humans
④ Caelum (Chisel) : A Journey to the Temple
⑤ Telescopium (Telescope) : A Gentle Touch
⑥ Microscopium (Microscope) : A Gentle Answer
⑤ Telescopium (Telescope) : A Gentle Touch
⑥ Microscopium (Microscope) : A Gentle Answer
Chapter Ⅲ The Chinese Creation Myth
⑦ Sextans (Sextant) : A Jolly Wolf
⑧ Antlia (Air Pump) : Gaining Strength
⑧ Antlia (Air Pump) : Gaining Strength
Chapter Ⅳ Navajo Creation Myth about the Universe
⑨ Libra (Scales) : Tintabul Tentacles – Scorpion’s Mouthparts
⑩ Scorpius (Scorpion) : . . . Force
⑪ Lupus (Wolf) : A Butterfly for the Wolf
⑩ Scorpius (Scorpion) : . . . Force
⑪ Lupus (Wolf) : A Butterfly for the Wolf
Chapter Ⅴ A Papuan Astral Myth of the Celestial Bodies
⑫ Capricornus (Capricorn) : A Vain Wolf
⑬ Crater (Cup) : Klara's Paw
⑭ Pictor (Painter) : A Bit Romantic
⑬ Crater (Cup) : Klara's Paw
⑭ Pictor (Painter) : A Bit Romantic
Chapter Ⅵ A Tsimshian Indian Tale of the Sun and the Moon
⑮ Scutum (Shield) : A Sharp Sword – Toccata
⑯ Piscis Austrinus (Southern Fish) : A Solitary Drifter
⑰ Pisces (Fishes) : Attaining Enlightenment – A Hymn to the Starry Sky
⑯ Piscis Austrinus (Southern Fish) : A Solitary Drifter
⑰ Pisces (Fishes) : Attaining Enlightenment – A Hymn to the Starry Sky
Chapter Ⅶ A Hittite and Hurrian Myth of the Storm God and the Serpent
⑱ Pyxis (Compass) : Dreamer’s Visions
⑲ Norma (Carpenter’s Level) : Kuijti-Huijti (Life Beyond the Pleiades)
⑲ Norma (Carpenter’s Level) : Kuijti-Huijti (Life Beyond the Pleiades)
Chapter Ⅷ Greek Myths of the Constellations — Sagittarius
⑳ Grus (Crane) : The Creeping Wolf
㉑ Corona Australis (Southern Crown) : The Magic of Pearls
㉒ Sagittarius (Archer) : Toward the Future
㉑ Corona Australis (Southern Crown) : The Magic of Pearls
㉒ Sagittarius (Archer) : Toward the Future
Urmas Sisask and the Starry Sky Cycle
The piano series Starry Sky Cycle represents the central pillar of Urmas Sisask’s creative output. Comprising five collections, it encompasses all eighty-eight constellations, including: Book I Northern Sky Op. 10 (1987), Book II Southern Sky Op. 52 (1995), Book IV Equatorial Sky Op. 155 (2016), and Book V Northern Polar Sky Op. 160 (2018) ― all for solo piano ― together with Book III An Ancient Estonian Sky Op. 94 (2004), for two pianos, inspired by twenty-nine constellations preserved in Estonian folk tradition.
Over a span of more than forty years leading to the completion of the cycle, Sisask traveled widely with his telescope, observing the heavens from various parts of the world.
He recorded detailed star maps, legends, and myths entirely by hand, and his manuscripts exceed one thousand pages.
Within these works lies a simple yet profound wish ― Sisask’s hope that people might look up at the night sky more often and listen to the voices of the stars.
The universe that is evoked through his music is a world humanity seems to have forgotten ― and now, more than ever, we perhaps need to remember it.
Over a span of more than forty years leading to the completion of the cycle, Sisask traveled widely with his telescope, observing the heavens from various parts of the world.
He recorded detailed star maps, legends, and myths entirely by hand, and his manuscripts exceed one thousand pages.
Within these works lies a simple yet profound wish ― Sisask’s hope that people might look up at the night sky more often and listen to the voices of the stars.
The universe that is evoked through his music is a world humanity seems to have forgotten ― and now, more than ever, we perhaps need to remember it.
Equatorial Sky
Equatorial Sky differs from the previous works in the Starry Sky Cycle, standing out as a distinctive collection with the subtitle The Wolf and the Butterfly.
While preserving the appearance and atmosphere of the earlier series, the twenty-two constellations are divided into two groups — the “Wolf” and the “Butterfly.” The Wolf and the Butterfly each take on the role of a guide, leading the listener through the work.
The equatorial region, from which all eighty-eight constellations can be seen, is a special area on Earth — and for Sisask, visiting this region (in 2011–2012) had long been a cherished dream. The star map printed in the center pages of this booklet is based on Sisask’s own handwritten constellation sketches, though in reality, countless more stars fill this expanse of sky.
While preserving the appearance and atmosphere of the earlier series, the twenty-two constellations are divided into two groups — the “Wolf” and the “Butterfly.” The Wolf and the Butterfly each take on the role of a guide, leading the listener through the work.
The equatorial region, from which all eighty-eight constellations can be seen, is a special area on Earth — and for Sisask, visiting this region (in 2011–2012) had long been a cherished dream. The star map printed in the center pages of this booklet is based on Sisask’s own handwritten constellation sketches, though in reality, countless more stars fill this expanse of sky.
In 2015, Sisask made his first visit to Japan and enjoyed reuniting with two pianists he had long known — Takahiro Akiba and Yuko Yoshioka. Seeing himself as a kind of shaman, Sisask seemed to recognize guardian animals behind each of them: he composed and personally performed two short pieces, later dedicated to them, which became linked to the “Theme of the Wolf” and the “Theme of the Butterfly.”
Through his journey to the equatorial region and the encounters and observations he made there, Sisask seemed to rediscover the human presence that bridges heaven and earth, and the emotions and imagination inherent in humankind. Reflecting this, in Equatorial Sky, a human warmth — which had scarcely entered his previous two collections — comes distinctly to the fore.
Full-scale composition began in June 2015, and the final piece, Sagittarius, was completed on January 22, 2016. The world premiere took place in Tokyo in December 2018, performed by Takahiro Akiba and Yuko Yoshioka, with narration by actor Hiromichi Takagi.
From 2019 to 2020, Yuko Yoshioka held and curated a complete Starry Sky Cycle recital series in Tokyo.
Symbolic Motifs and Rhythms
Equatorial Sky is tightly constructed through the presentation and transformation of multiple thematic elements based on symbolic motifs (see Ex.1 and 2) and rhythmic cells.
Ex. 1 introduces a leading motif that appears not only at the opening of Phoenix but also in three other constellations. Ex. 2 presents the “Butterfly” motif, which serves as the main theme of Phoenix.
Rhythm A is prominently featured in pieces associated with the subtitle “Wolf,” while rhythm B, first appearing in Microscopium and Pictor and later linked to Kuijti-Huijti and Sagittarius, is thought to subtly allude to Sisask himself ― who once described himself as a nightingale.
Ex. 1 introduces a leading motif that appears not only at the opening of Phoenix but also in three other constellations. Ex. 2 presents the “Butterfly” motif, which serves as the main theme of Phoenix.
Rhythm A is prominently featured in pieces associated with the subtitle “Wolf,” while rhythm B, first appearing in Microscopium and Pictor and later linked to Kuijti-Huijti and Sagittarius, is thought to subtly allude to Sisask himself ― who once described himself as a nightingale.
Ex. 1 Leading motif at the opening of Phoenix
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Ex. 2 “Butterfly” motif
A Rhythmic motif symbolizing the “Wolf”
B Rhythmic motif symbolizing the “Nightingale”
Wolf and Butterfly
As in his previous works, each subtitle in Equatorial Sky reflects Sisask’s intuitive image of the stars.
In addition, some subtitles hint at the shape or spatial relationship of the constellations, while others stem from personal episodes in the composer’s daily life.
These are arranged in a finely balanced structure framed by the concepts of “The Wolf” and “The Butterfly,” inviting the listener to enjoy the pleasure of uncovering their hidden connections.
The table below shows how the twenty-two constellations are divided into two symbolic groups. The works on the left, representing the Butterfly, are dedicated to Yuko Yoshioka, while those on the right, representing the Wolf, are dedicated to Takahiro Akiba. The numbers indicate the order of the pieces, and the subtitles express Sisask’s imaginative vision for each constellation.
In addition, some subtitles hint at the shape or spatial relationship of the constellations, while others stem from personal episodes in the composer’s daily life.
These are arranged in a finely balanced structure framed by the concepts of “The Wolf” and “The Butterfly,” inviting the listener to enjoy the pleasure of uncovering their hidden connections.
The table below shows how the twenty-two constellations are divided into two symbolic groups. The works on the left, representing the Butterfly, are dedicated to Yuko Yoshioka, while those on the right, representing the Wolf, are dedicated to Takahiro Akiba. The numbers indicate the order of the pieces, and the subtitles express Sisask’s imaginative vision for each constellation.
The red bands in the table indicate where the leading motif appears — in Phoenix, Pictor, Piscis Austrinus, and Pisces — marking both the opening and the climax of The Wolf and the Butterfly.
Pictor is the first large-scale work associated with the Wolf, inspired by a temple in southern India that Sisask visited during his travels. Among the countries he explored, this temple lay closest to the equator and seemed to have given him a powerful spiritual impression.
In Piscis Austrinus, the bright first-magnitude star Fomalhaut shines as if radiating a fateful brilliance. As suggested by its subtitle, the composer appears to have perceived it as a solitary star.
In the following Pisces, the leading motif reappears with renewed strength and the greatest dynamic intensity — as though to cast off that solitude. When Equatorial Sky was composed, the Perseus - Pisces Supercluster, located in Pisces, had become one of the subjects of astronomical research aimed at uncovering the mysteries of the universe’s structure — a topic that surely fascinated Sisask. He chose Pisces as the constellation most fitting to bear the inscription “Hymn to the Starry Sky,” bestowing upon it radiant music as though to bless it himself.
The Hidden Romance of the Universe
Sisask also incorporated the latest astronomical discoveries into his compositions.
The subtitle of Libra, “Tintabul Tentacles,” once regarded as part of Scorpius’s tentacles, refers, according to the composer, to a device for cosmic communication. Its musical character evokes pulsating signals radiating like a heartbeat.
Among NASA’s recently released “Sounds of the Universe,” there are waveforms strikingly similar to the melodic pattern of Libra ― and the same type of waveform also appears in Grus. From a galaxy about 3.6 billion light-years away in the direction of Grus, radio telescopes have detected mysterious and powerful fast radio bursts for over a decade.
That Phoenix is subtitled “Restless Butterfly” may be related to the presence of its neighboring Grus, the “Creeping Wolf” ― a constellation associated with mysterious bursts from deep space. Yet “Turku’s Song” (composed in 2015, see Ex. 3), inserted at the end of Grus, is warm and majestic music that seems to embrace the Butterfly. The same melody appears in Telescopium, whose main theme bears a close resemblance to “Turku’s Song.”
Turku is the ancient capital of Finland, and also the city where Sisask completed Equatorial Sky.
Ex. 3 “Turku’s Song”
Following Telescopium and Grus, the pieces Microscopium and Corona Australis share a similar feature: their leaping notes create a shimmering effect reminiscent of starlight.
These four constellations (the light-blue bands in the table) ― Telescopium, Grus, Microscopium, and Corona Australis ― are positioned close together in the actual sky, as if forming a tightly knit relationship.
These four constellations (the light-blue bands in the table) ― Telescopium, Grus, Microscopium, and Corona Australis ― are positioned close together in the actual sky, as if forming a tightly knit relationship.
The yellow bands in the table, Scutum and Sagittarius, surround the region where the Milky Way appears at its brightest.
In addition to this cycle, Sisask composed a complementary work for piano four hands (Wolf and Butterfly), titled The Heart of the Milky Way, written in a freely sonata-like form.
At the heart of the Milky Way indicated by Sagittarius lies a supermassive black hole, where anything that approaches is carried away into eternal oblivion.
Yet for Sisask, this was not a place of extinction, but one of rebirth and new creation.
At the heart of the Milky Way indicated by Sagittarius lies a supermassive black hole, where anything that approaches is carried away into eternal oblivion.
Yet for Sisask, this was not a place of extinction, but one of rebirth and new creation.
Kuijti-Huijti
According to Sisask, Kuijti-Huijti is an Earth-like planet said to exist within the region of the Pleiades star cluster. Its inhabitants possess a highly developed spiritual consciousness, and their music is said to appear to him in dreams.
Speaking of dreams, Pyxis contains seven dream motifs that emerge and fade away, each framed by the recurring appearance of the first motif, “Dreamer.”
These dreams unfold in the following order: Dreamer, Dream of Pisces, Dream of Butterfly, Dream of Universe, Dream of Earth, Dream of Hero, and Dream of the Planet Kuijti-Huijti.
Among them, in Dream of Universe and Dream of the Planet Kuijti-Huijti, the performer is required to improvise ― including extended techniques inside the piano ― as though communing with the cosmos, or reaching toward Kuijti-Huijti itself.
After the prolonged silence that follows Pyxis, it is Norma that senses the faint trembling of a radio signal. Its oscillation grows steadily, eventually bursting into a massive sound like a supernova explosion. Out of that burst of sound emerges the theme of Kuijti-Huijti.
Music written in pure functional tonality ― in this case, C major ― sounds especially meaningful here, as though the heart were returning to its cosmic home.
Music written in pure functional tonality ― in this case, C major ― sounds especially meaningful here, as though the heart were returning to its cosmic home.
The “nightingale” motif that recurs in Pyxis and Norma reappears in the closing section of Sagittarius as well (see Ex. 4), hinting at Sisask’s departure toward yet another journey into the future. In an interview given after completing the Starry Sky Cycle, he remarked:
“I am not a composer, but a mediator for the music that comes from distant stars. My mission is to bring spiritual happiness to people through music.”
Ex. 4 “Nightingale” Motif in Sagittarius
Accompanying Stories
Preface
The entire starry sky is divided into eighty-eight constellations.
As in my earlier works, this cycle also consists of twenty-two constellations, all of which can be observed near the celestial equator.
In search of musical inspiration, I planned journeys to countries close to the equator where there is no light pollution, traveling to Egypt in the autumn of 2011 and to southern India in the spring of 2012.
In addition, through becoming acquainted with the cultures of Japan, Greece, the Canary Islands (Spain), China, and Bali, I was able to gather many celestial legends.
The musical language is as colorful as a butterfly’s wings:
Arabic modes (harmonic minor and major), Japanese, Chinese, and Indian pentatonic scales, augmented and diminished seconds and fourths, and other distinctive sonorities.
What matters most in the accompanying tale are meditation and suggestion, archaic forces, cosmic energy, and the colors of sound.
This Starry Sky Cycle is dedicated to the two pianists, Yuko Yoshioka and Takahiro Akiba, who have engraved my name into the cultural landscape of Japan.
Many of the names of the equatorial constellations were given by the French astronomer Abbé Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille, who stayed at the Cape of Good Hope from 1751 to 1752.
These constellations are associated with various objects and instruments raised to the heavens―melting furnaces used in experiments, engraving tools, telescopes, microscopes, sextants, pumps, cups, shields, compasses, rulers, easels, and even a sculptor’s workshop.
Across the lands near the equator, numerous myths of creation have been handed down.
Particularly striking tales come from ancient China, the ancestors of the Native Americans, and the Hittite-Hurrian cultures.
These legends speak of how the starry sky and its constellations came into being, how light emerged from darkness, and how living creatures gained their sight.
As in my earlier works, this cycle also consists of twenty-two constellations, all of which can be observed near the celestial equator.
In search of musical inspiration, I planned journeys to countries close to the equator where there is no light pollution, traveling to Egypt in the autumn of 2011 and to southern India in the spring of 2012.
In addition, through becoming acquainted with the cultures of Japan, Greece, the Canary Islands (Spain), China, and Bali, I was able to gather many celestial legends.
The musical language is as colorful as a butterfly’s wings:
Arabic modes (harmonic minor and major), Japanese, Chinese, and Indian pentatonic scales, augmented and diminished seconds and fourths, and other distinctive sonorities.
What matters most in the accompanying tale are meditation and suggestion, archaic forces, cosmic energy, and the colors of sound.
This Starry Sky Cycle is dedicated to the two pianists, Yuko Yoshioka and Takahiro Akiba, who have engraved my name into the cultural landscape of Japan.
Many of the names of the equatorial constellations were given by the French astronomer Abbé Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille, who stayed at the Cape of Good Hope from 1751 to 1752.
These constellations are associated with various objects and instruments raised to the heavens―melting furnaces used in experiments, engraving tools, telescopes, microscopes, sextants, pumps, cups, shields, compasses, rulers, easels, and even a sculptor’s workshop.
Across the lands near the equator, numerous myths of creation have been handed down.
Particularly striking tales come from ancient China, the ancestors of the Native Americans, and the Hittite-Hurrian cultures.
These legends speak of how the starry sky and its constellations came into being, how light emerged from darkness, and how living creatures gained their sight.
URMAS SISASK
＊ I, Yuko Yoshioka, have updated the
earlier English translation I published,
as I realized it needed refinement.
This revised version is now more accurate.
Equatorial Sky is divided into eight chapters, each accompanied by a myth, legend, or star lore drawn from Greek, African, Chinese, Navajo, Tsimshian, Papuan New Guinean, and Hittite–Hurrian traditions.
These narratives were compiled by the composer himself, and what follows is a summary of their contents. The stories are not included in the current published edition (Edition 49).
These narratives were compiled by the composer himself, and what follows is a summary of their contents. The stories are not included in the current published edition (Edition 49).
Chapter I
The Greek Myth of the Phoenix
Disquiet Butterfly (Phoenix)
Mystery of Colours (Fornax)
Sleeping Beauty (Sculptor)
According to Greek mythology, the Phoenix was a legendary bird that lived for as long as 500 years. Sensing the approach of its own death, the Phoenix gathered leaves and cinnamon bark and built a nest infused with aromatic oils. When the heat of the afternoon sun ignited the nest, the flames consumed the Phoenix. Yet from the ashes that remained, a small new life emerged, eventually growing into a renewed Phoenix.
The radiant figure of the Phoenix can be seen in the constellation Phoenix, situated well south of the celestial equator, lying even beyond Eridanus.
Chapter Ⅱ
An African Story of Apes and Humans
A Journey to the Temple (Caelum)
A Gentle Touch (Telescopium)
A Gentle Answer (Microscopium)
On the African continent, there are tribes who believe that the world has existed through three great ages.
The first was “the Golden Age of God,” when humans and animals lived together in perfect harmony. The womb of a woman was regarded as God’s workshop, where life itself was cultivated.
The second age was “the Golden Age of Humans and Animals,” during which the earth was created for them.
The third age is “the Age of the Earth’s Dissolution,” in which the human world falls into ruin and the world moves toward death.
The second age was “the Golden Age of Humans and Animals,” during which the earth was created for them.
The third age is “the Age of the Earth’s Dissolution,” in which the human world falls into ruin and the world moves toward death.
According to this myth, the god Muruku gave the first humans farmland, tools, and seeds, instructing them to till the soil and prepare their food.
But the people paid no attention: they neglected their tools and continued eating the fruit of the forest.
Seeing this, Muruku called the apes, gave them the same tools, and offered the same advice.
The apes did exactly as they were told. Satisfied, Muruku cut off the apes’ tails and proclaimed, “Now, become human!” And placing the severed tails upon the first humans, he declared, “You shall become apes!”
Seeing this, Muruku called the apes, gave them the same tools, and offered the same advice.
The apes did exactly as they were told. Satisfied, Muruku cut off the apes’ tails and proclaimed, “Now, become human!” And placing the severed tails upon the first humans, he declared, “You shall become apes!”
The tale suggests that even today, many people still fall short of the apes…
Chapter Ⅲ
The Chinese Creation Myth
A Jolly Wolf (Sextans)
A Jolly Wolf (Sextans)
Gaining Strength (Antlia)
In ancient Chinese mythology, the Emperor of the Southern Sea, Shu (儵 kiire ― “swift”), and the Emperor of the Northern Sea, Hu (忽 äkiline ― “sudden”), once went to visit the Emperor of the Center, Hundun (混沌 kaost ― “chaos”). Hundun received them with great respect and hospitality.
Wishing to repay his kindness, Shu and Hu discussed what they could do for him.
Every human head has seven openings ― the eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth ― yet Hundun had none. So they decided to create the necessary openings for him. Using tools like axes, they carved one opening each day for seven days, forming his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
But in the midst of their work, Hundun cried out with a tremendous scream and died.
Yet from Hundun’s body, the universe and the earth were formed.
But in the midst of their work, Hundun cried out with a tremendous scream and died.
Yet from Hundun’s body, the universe and the earth were formed.
Hundun is still known as a monster resembling a dog or a bear, with eyes that see nothing and ears that hear nothing.
He is said to possess the ability to sense all who approach him, and he despises the good while flattering the wicked.
Chapter Ⅳ
Navajo Creation Myth about the Universe
Tintabul Tentacles, Scorpion's Mouthparts (Libra)
. . . Force (Scorpius)
A Butterfly for the Wolf (Lupus)
A Butterfly for the Wolf (Lupus)
According to the creation myth of the Navajo people, the gods formed the First Man and the First Woman from corn.
Black God, the deity who presides over fire, took crystals from a deerskin pouch and placed them one by one in the sky, creating the North Star, Corvus, Scorpius, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Canis Major, the Pleiades, and Aldebaran together with the Hyades.
Once the stars had been set in their proper order, Black God ignited a band of crystals across the heavens, giving birth to the Milky Way. The crystals that remained were scattered by Coyote, becoming countless additional stars. The last crystal, set with particular care, was Antares in Scorpius ― also known as the Star of the Coyote.
Chapter Ⅴ
A Papuan New Guinean Astral Myth of the Celestial Bodies
A Vain Wolf (Capricornus)
Klara's Paw (Crater)
A Bit Romantic (Pictor)
According to Papuan mythology, spirits dwell everywhere.
The sea, the stars, the Moon, and the Sun are all spirits, and some of them bear names.
It was believed that the planets were “the people who run in circles,” and that Mars and other red stars were coconuts burning in fire.
It was believed that the planets were “the people who run in circles,” and that Mars and other red stars were coconuts burning in fire.
In the Pleiades, the sons of a great serpent are lying in a vast basket.
In Orion’s Belt, three boys are trying to catch a fish named Betelgeuse.
Delphinus is a female fisher, Altair in Aquila is a fishing net, and the Hyades form the jaws of a crocodile.
Comets are young maidens adorned with the feathers of birds of the sky, and the Milky Way is the funeral ash scattered by those maidens.
Chapter Ⅵ
A Tsimshian Indian Tale of the Sun and the Moon
A Sharp Sword, Toccata (Scutum)
A Solitary Drifter (Piscis Austrinus),
Attaining Enlightenment, A Hymn to the Starry Sky (Pisces)
In the beginning of the world, everything was shrouded in darkness.
The Sky Chief had three children: his eldest son was called “He Who Walks Around,” his second son “He Who Runs Through the Sky,” and his eldest daughter “She Who Supports the Sun.”
The second son carved a round mask from cedar wood and set it aflame. Placing it upon his face, he traveled eastward, and the world was filled with light. Thus the Sun was born.
After that, the second son ran across the sky each day. When the eldest daughter caught him at noon, the Sun paused briefly at the center of the sky. Meanwhile, during the night while his brother slept, the eldest son smeared his face with oil and charcoal and journeyed toward the edge of the world, where he began to rise into the heavens. The fire from his brother’s burning face was reflected upon his own, shining like a mirror―thus the Moon came into being.
After that, the second son ran across the sky each day. When the eldest daughter caught him at noon, the Sun paused briefly at the center of the sky. Meanwhile, during the night while his brother slept, the eldest son smeared his face with oil and charcoal and journeyed toward the edge of the world, where he began to rise into the heavens. The fire from his brother’s burning face was reflected upon his own, shining like a mirror―thus the Moon came into being.
Chapter Ⅶ
A Hittite and Hurrian Myth of the Storm God and the Serpent
A Dreamer’s Visions (Pyxis)
Kuijti-Huijti (Life beyond the Pleiades) (Norma)
According to Hittite and Hurrian legend, when the gods created heaven and earth, the gods of the heavenly realm took possession of the sky, while the gods of the earthly realm claimed the land and the underworld.
The River God was the source of fertility and possessed the power of propagation, ensuring the continuation of life.
There is also the following legend concerning the Storm God.
There is also the following legend concerning the Storm God.
Once, the Storm God was defeated in battle by a great serpent and lost his heart and his eyes. He then married a human woman and fathered a son. When the son came of age, he married the daughter of the serpent. The Storm God then commanded his son:
“My son, reclaim my heart and my eyes from the serpent.”
The son obeyed his father’s command, and the Storm God was restored to his former self. He once again challenged the serpent to battle. But just as victory was within his grasp, it was his own son who cried out encouragement to the serpent.
Hearing this, the Storm God slew both the serpent and his son.
The son obeyed his father’s command, and the Storm God was restored to his former self. He once again challenged the serpent to battle. But just as victory was within his grasp, it was his own son who cried out encouragement to the serpent.
Hearing this, the Storm God slew both the serpent and his son.
Chapter Ⅷ
Greek Myths of the Constellations — Sagittarius
The Creeping Wolf (Grus)
The Magic of Pearls (Corona Australis)
Toward the Future (Sagittarius)
The name Sagittarius has its origins in ancient Roman times, and the earliest records associated with this constellation can be traced back to the era of Sumerian civilization. According to these accounts, Sagittarius was identified with Nergal, the god of the desert, fire, and the underworld.
The ancient Greek poet Aratus described the bow and the archer as separate constellations.
Other Greek traditions held that a centaur ascended into the heavens and guided the heroes of the ship Argo on their journey to Colchis.
However, the Greek scholar Eratosthenes, who was active in Egypt during the Hellenistic period, argued that the centaur did not draw a bow, and instead identified Sagittarius as the heroic figure Crotus, a being half man and half horse. Crotus was said to have lived on Mount Helicon, home of the Muses. Being half horse, he frequently went out hunting and was therefore also regarded as the inventor of the bow.
Urmas Sisask
Estonian composer and amateur astronomer. Born in Rapla, Estonia, in 1960. He studied composition under Professor René Eespere at the Tallinn Conservatory (now the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre), graduating in 1985. Afterward, he lived and worked in Jäneda until 1998.
In 1994, he established the Tower of Music and Stars in the manor house there. Sisask’s music spans a remarkable variety of genres ― from piano works, choral and orchestral compositions, to film and stage music. Among his numerous sacred works, Gloria Patri (1988) stands as one of his best-known achievements.
His first composition, Cassiopeia, was composed in childhood as an improvisation inspired by the grandeur of the Milky Way. Since then, the universe has remained his inexhaustible source of inspiration. Sisask has expressed the music of the cosmos through two approaches: one “intuitive,” drawing upon astronomical knowledge and direct observation of the stars; and another “mathematical.”
In 1987, by analyzing the movements of the planets in the solar system, he discovered the tone series C♯–D–F♯–G♯–A ― coincidentally identical to the Japanese pentatonic scale. This sequence became the melodic and harmonic foundation of many of his works. Around the same time, during Estonia’s Singing Revolution (1987–1991), his fascination with shamanism deepened, and he often incorporated the shaman drum into his own performances. Nearly all of Sisask’s instrumental works, especially his piano compositions, bear titles related to the cosmos.
His major piano works include:
Starry Sky Cycle – Northern Sky (1987)
Milky Way for four hands (1990)
Andromeda Galaxy, Sonata for two pianos eight hands (1991)
Zodiac (1994)
Starry Sky Cycle – Southern Sky (1995)
Heavenly Hexagon (1996)
Spiral Symphony for four hands (1999)
Voices of the Universe for four pianos sixteen hands (2002)
Starry Sky Cycle – An Ancient Estonian Sky for two pianos (2004)
Sombrero Galaxy for four hands (2008)
Piano Concerto "Total Solar Eclipse" (2011)
Stars of Eivere for the left hand (2013)
Piano Concerto for the Left Hand Quasar (2015)
Starry Sky Cycle – Equatorial Sky (2016)
Starry Sky Cycle – Northern Polar Sky (2018)
Milky Way for four hands (1990)
Andromeda Galaxy, Sonata for two pianos eight hands (1991)
Zodiac (1994)
Starry Sky Cycle – Southern Sky (1995)
Heavenly Hexagon (1996)
Spiral Symphony for four hands (1999)
Voices of the Universe for four pianos sixteen hands (2002)
Starry Sky Cycle – An Ancient Estonian Sky for two pianos (2004)
Sombrero Galaxy for four hands (2008)
Piano Concerto "Total Solar Eclipse" (2011)
Stars of Eivere for the left hand (2013)
Piano Concerto for the Left Hand Quasar (2015)
Starry Sky Cycle – Equatorial Sky (2016)
Starry Sky Cycle – Northern Polar Sky (2018)
Yuko Yoshioka, piano
Yuko Yoshioka graduated from Musashino Academia Musicae and its Graduate School in Tokyo. She studied piano with Sazare Fukumoto, Kyoko Nagashima, Gerhard Berge, Max Martin Stein, Shoichi Yamada, and Erzsébet Tusa; piano duo performance with Henriette Puig-Roget; and chamber music with Marguerite Frances. She continued her artistic training through masterclasses at the Viktorinck Musikforum (Austria), the Verbier Festival (Switzerland), and the Chopin Music Academy (Poland).
In 1992, she won Second Prize at the 1st All Japan French Music Competition organized by the Japan Performers’ Association. Following her debut recital at Bario Hall in 1995, she has given regular solo recitals. At music festivals in Kaohsiung, Taiwan (1995 and 1997), she performed two-piano concertos by Mozart and Poulenc with the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra.
Since 1997, she has presented a long-running “Talk & Concert” series at the Yatsugatake Kogen Music Hall, collaborating with astrophotographer Tetsuo Aruga and many leading wind and string players in nearly eighty performances.
Since 2015, she has continued her recital series “Mozart and Chopin” on a Pleyel piano at Atelier Mistral in Takasaki, Japan.
Since 2015, she has continued her recital series “Mozart and Chopin” on a Pleyel piano at Atelier Mistral in Takasaki, Japan.
After visiting composer Urmas Sisask in Jäneda, Estonia, in 2005, Yoshioka developed a close friendship with him and has given numerous Japanese premieres of his piano and chamber works. In 2011, she released her first CD album, Urmas Sisask: Starry Sky Cycle – Northern Sky, which received critical acclaim and was featured in Tenmon Guide magazine and on Estonian Klassika Raadio. In 2014, she was invited to the 2nd Eivere International Piano Festival in Estonia, performing the complete Starry Sky Cycle – Southern Sky in collaboration with Sisask and teaching a masterclass. In 2015, she appeared in the concert “Urmas Sisask: The Man Who Listens to the Stars – Izumi Tateno and His Friends” at Yomiuri Otemachi Hall, celebrating Sisask’s first visit to Japan. In 2018, she released her second CD album, Urmas Sisask: Starry Sky Cycle – Southern Sky. Since 2019, she has been engaged in an ongoing project to perform the complete Starry Sky Cycle, titled Starry Sky Cycle – To All the Constellations.
In addition to her performing career, Yoshioka teaches piano at the Music Department of Saitama Prefectural Omiya Koryo High School, where she continues to mentor and inspire young musicians.
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Production Credits
Produced by: OASIS Co., Ltd.
Director: Yoshiyuki Kanamori
Recording Engineer: Keitaro Iijima
Mastering Engineer: Mitsukazu Tanaka
Technical Assistance: Moe Kazama
Piano: YAMAHA C7
Tuning: Osamu Mochizuki
Cover Photo: Tunç Tezel
Photography: Yoshiyuki Kanamori
Director: Yoshiyuki Kanamori
Recording Engineer: Keitaro Iijima
Mastering Engineer: Mitsukazu Tanaka
Technical Assistance: Moe Kazama
Piano: YAMAHA C7
Tuning: Osamu Mochizuki
Cover Photo: Tunç Tezel
Photography: Yoshiyuki Kanamori
Commentary and Star Charts: Yuko Yoshioka
Layout Design: Ayako Chiba
Recording Dates: March 27–28, 2020
Recording Venue: Oasis Studio Home, Japan
Layout Design: Ayako Chiba
Recording Dates: March 27–28, 2020
Recording Venue: Oasis Studio Home, Japan
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Editorial Note (Revised Edition)
This English version has been lightly revised from the 2020 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)
From the Performer（From Website）
March 8, 2020, was scheduled to be the date of the Japanese premiere of Northern Polar Sky, the final volume of the Starry Sky Cycle. However, as restrictions due to the spread of COVID-19 began, we were forced to abandon the performance. With no possibility of setting a new date, I asked myself what could be done at that moment. The answer I arrived at was the recording of Equatorial Sky.
Taking thorough precautions against infection, the recording sessions were held on March 27 and 28. The mastering was delayed until July, and the release date was set for September 9. September 9 is also the 60th birthday of Urmas Sisask.
Then, while I was writing this text, an unexpected and wonderful piece of news arrived: I would be able to meet him again. It would be our first reunion in five years, since his first visit to Japan in the spring of 2015. During those five years, Equatorial Sky and Northern Polar Sky were completed, and from September 9, 2020, a complete performance series of Starry Sky Cycle—celebrating Sisask’s 60th birthday and the completion of the cycle—will begin across Estonia. I have been invited to perform Equatorial Sky as part of this project.
The initiator of the series is pianist Lauri Väinmaa, a close friend of Sisask who has premiered many of his piano works. The series bears the title TEEKOND UNIVERSMI SÜDAMESSE (Journey to the Heart of the Universe).
Fifteen years have passed since I first met Sisask in Jäneda, Estonia, in 2005. With gratitude and deep respect for Sisask, who composed Equatorial Sky, I hope to present this CD to him in person.
This album was recorded at Oasis Studio Home using a YAMAHA C7 grand piano.
The mastering engineer was Mitsukazu Tanaka, often described as a legendary presence in the recording industry. I was deeply honored that he was involved not only in the mastering process, but also in the recording sessions themselves.
The mastering engineer was Mitsukazu Tanaka, often described as a legendary presence in the recording industry. I was deeply honored that he was involved not only in the mastering process, but also in the recording sessions themselves.
For the recording, we used microphones of Tanaka’s own design. Two microphones placed on the floor captured the overall sound, while two positioned close to the piano picked up the finest nuances of touch, resulting in a clear and richly resonant sound. Because the studio space is acoustically quite dry, a very subtle amount of reverb was added during mixing in order to bring out the natural tonal characteristics of the piano.
I was also able to attend the mastering sessions, where I discussed Sisask’s music with Tanaka and expanded my own sonic imagination. Hearing Sisask’s music through world-class speakers felt as though the sound were being drawn into the cosmos itself, allowing me to rediscover the profound beauty of this work.
Writing the liner notes was more difficult than ever before. Nevertheless, I wanted to preserve as much as possible the insights gained through my analysis of the subtitle “The Wolf and the Butterfly,” which is unique to this work within the Starry Sky Cycle, as well as of its distinctive structure. Although the limited space of the booklet was not sufficient, with the help of friends I believe we were able to shape it into something meaningful.
The booklet includes commentary and summaries of the accompanying stories, as well as an introduction to this work written by the composer himself. As with Southern Sky, star charts of the equatorial sky are also included.
The booklet includes commentary and summaries of the accompanying stories, as well as an introduction to this work written by the composer himself. As with Southern Sky, star charts of the equatorial sky are also included.
For the cover photographs (front and back), we were fortunate to feature outstanding images by the Turkish photographer Tunç Tezel. The front cover shows the night sky over Mangaia, the southernmost island of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. Visible in the photograph are the galactic center of the Milky Way toward Sagittarius and Scorpius, the bright stars Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri, the Southern Cross, and the dark nebula known as the Coalsack.
The back cover depicts the ruins of Aizanoi, a Roman archaeological site dating from around the 2nd century. These ruins are scattered across what is now the village of Çavdarhisar in western Anatolia, Turkey. In this image, the Milky Way can be seen stretching from Cassiopeia toward Cygnus. (Yuko Yoshioka)
On the back cover of the booklet is a photograph of someone peering through a telescope (photographed by Yoshiyuki Kanamori), while beneath the CD disc we have included an image of a short musical fragment handwritten by Sisask that connects to the Butterfly motif.
I hope that listeners will enjoy this work from many different perspectives.
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