0. Starry Sky Cycle

Starry Sky Cycle

　The piano cycle "Starry Sky Cycle", dedicated to all 88 constellations, was started around 1980 by Estonian composer Urmas Sisask and took approximately 40 years to complete, finally being finished in 2018. This series can truly be considered Sisask's life's work.

"Starry Sky Cycle" Concert plans in Tokyo, 2019 - 2022

Urmas Sisask："Starry Sky Cycle" 

1. Northern Sky Op. 10（1980-1987）

2. Sonthern Sky Op.52（1993-1995）

3. Equatorial Sky Op. 155（2015-2016）

4. Arctic Sky Op. 160（2017-2018）

　The 88 constellations are covered in the solo piano works "Northern  Sky" Op. 10, "Southern Sky" Op. 52, "Equatorial Sky" Op. 155, and "Arctic Night Sky" Op. 160. However, Sisask also has a special attachment to the stars that have long been cherished in his homeland of Estonia. In addition to these four collections, "Starry Sky Cycle" also includes a set of pieces for two pianos titled "Ancient Estonian Starry Sky" Op. 94, making it a cycle of five collections in total.

　When people think of constellations, many often think of astrology, which pertains only to the 12 constellations along the sun's path (the zodiac). Initially, constellations referred to the 48 constellations listed by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in his book around 150 AD. Since then, additional constellations have been added, bringing the total to 88. In ancient times, astrology was considered a part of astronomy, but today, constellations are simply "regions" of the night sky defined by boundary lines. These boundaries were clearly established by the International Astronomical Union in 1930. Each constellation's region contains various celestial objects (stars, galaxies, star clusters, etc.), and the position of the constellations serves as markers to locate these objects.　

　The diagram at the top is a flat map of the 88 constellations that I found on the internet. 

Detailed star map with names of stars, contellations and Messier objects, black and white vector. Download from Dreamstime.com（Purchased）

　The diagram at the top is a flat map of the 88 constellations that I found on the internet. Typically, constellation maps are depicted as spherical images, but when you try to fit all 88 constellations onto a flat surface, this is the result. The gray line that looks like a meandering river is the Milky Way. Viewed in this way, the constellations appear to be quite crowded. However, constellations are not flat! The stars that make up each constellation are at varying distances from Earth and are often unrelated to each other. Imagine the vast depth of space.

　Sisask is said to observe the night sky with his telescope almost every night. In his mind, the positions of all the constellations are precisely imprinted. The sheet music for "Starry Sky Cycle" includes detailed constellation maps, with professional annotations such as Messier objects and NGC objects, that would amaze even experts in astronomy.

　Sisask has no interest in astrology at all, but he understands that not everyone is as knowledgeable about astronomy as he is. Therefore, he uses subtitles to express the imagery that arises from observing the constellations, incorporating mythology and legends to convey the charm of the universe. He has traveled around the world, feeling the connection between people and stars firsthand. Sometimes, he performs himself, narrates, or synchronizes star images with his music. He has surely shared many moments and ideas with the general public. I have had the experience of collaborating with him, and in future concerts, I want to get as close as possible to what he intended to do and make the most of my experiences.

　In this blog, I thought of detailing the beautiful celestial objects in each constellation's region using images from NASA.  I am allowed to freely include NASA's images in this blog, which is truly wonderful! It feels like going on a celestial discovery journey, and I believe that my feelings towards constellations will change as I continue to write.

　The original text of this blog (in Japanese) is already completed and can be found at this link.  https://starry-sky-cycle.blogspot.com/

　So let's start the Starry Sky Cycle, visiting all 88 constellations!