"If now, even once, the person watching behind the cannon looks up at the starry sky, they might feel the futility of war, and war might end forever." (Estonian astronomer Jaan Einasto)
The preface of the story states:
The celestial clock of the universe, including Earth, revolves around the North Star with incredible consistency, taking approximately 20,000 years. Ancient tribes, who were keen observers of celestial movements, gazed at the starry sky with amazement and reverence, noting special periodic motions. The solemn cycle of a year on Earth also exists in the universe, with the renewal of each day and the revival of spring continuing eternally.
Regarding Aquarius, it is noted as follows (summary):
The paths of the Sun, Moon, and planets cross the zodiac. The constellation where the Sun is positioned on the vernal equinox changes every 2,000 years, and in the 21st century, it shifts from Pisces to Aquarius. This symbolizes humanity’s dreams and expectations for the next 2,000 years, beginning with Chapter 1: Aquarius.
Sisask’s image of Aquarius is "dreams". Although it may seem like a casual title, it takes on deeper meaning as it progresses.
Sisask’s first major work, the series of piano pieces "Northern Sky", was composed towards the end of the 20th century, was composed towards the end of the 20th century, when it was uncertain how long Estonia would remain under Soviet rule. This masterpiece embodies his childhood fascination with the cosmos and his strong desire for peace. Greatly influenced by his grandmother, who had a hobby of observing through a telescope, Sisask’s pure heart and fascination with beauty, along with his strong aptitude for mathematics from a young age, led him to consider a career in astronomy.
One summer day when he was 14 years old (August 1975), a grand piano was left outside overnight for repairs. As he began to play, the night sky was soon covered by an enormous Milky Way, particularly captivating him with the constellation Cassiopeia. Embraced by the stars, his imagery swiftly transformed into sound, and the first piece for a constellation, "Cassiopeia" was born. Gazing at the "Perseid Meteor Shower" falling from the Milky Way where Cassiopeia floats, a special desire arose in him to depict all 88 constellations in the sky through piano music. Thus, a new dream set sail.
In this blog, I aim to explore the celestial objects that Sisask might have observed through his telescope, as indicated by the markings on the constellation diagrams in his scores. By closely observing these objects, I hope to grasp where the musical inspiration and subtitle imagery originated, because Sisask wishes for everyone to see the real starry sky.
Notable celestial objects in Aquarius include the photograph at the beginning: This is catalog number NGC 7293 (a planetary nebula). It is known as the "Helix Nebula", one of the largest planetary nebulae, with an apparent size over half that of the full moon, visible even with binoculars.
There are also two other celestial objects: one is the Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009), from which colored gases emanate from the central star.
The other is the globular cluster M2, containing hundreds of thousands of stars.
In Sisask’s Aquarius music, two types of chords in the left hand move back and forth, persistently keeping the beat until the end. The beautiful colors of nebulae and clusters, like those in the photographs, seem to be expressed by the floating, cloud-like motion and occasional sparkling accents of the right hand. The harmonies, mysteriously resonant, hint at the possibility of "color" in the seemingly dark universe. The vast range of pitches and dynamics evokes the depth of the cosmos, drawing listeners ever deeper into the night sky from the first piece onward.
(Clicking on the text below the images links to NASA’s page.)
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