Aquilo

Sierra, Arlene Elizabeth ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3067-7533 2001. Aquilo. [Score]. Cecilian Music.

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Abstract

Aquilo is a classical name for the Northeast wind as designated by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in his Ten Books on Architecture. Vitruvius writes of the theory of winds beginning from heat and moisture, stating this is proven by experiments with aeoliphiles: bronze spheres filled with water through a tiny opening. When the aeoliphile was heated, a rush of steam would escape, convincing the ancients that winds had similar origins. Vitruvius elaborates upon the theory with his idea that there are eight winds which flow over the expanse of a disc-shaped earth. The work begins as an aural aeoliphile, with musical representations of fire and water mixing to create a rush of air. This rush of air is the wind Aquilo, heard as a melody which develops within a large aural space. It is later joined by three others and the four gather momentum until there is a powerful “directional shift”, introducing four new melodic lines all accumulating energy and complexity as they move in space. After the eight melodic “winds” make their individuality “felt”, the original melody returns. Aquilo travels until the environment breaks it down to elemental components, returning to the original spark of its creation Aquilo was first performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic, Susanna Mälkki conductor, at Tokyo Opera City in the Takemitsu Prize Final Concert and was declared winner of the Takemitsu Composition Prize in May 2001.

Item Type:	Composition
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Music
Subjects:	M Music and Books on Music > M Music
Publisher:	Cecilian Music
Last Modified:	28 Oct 2022 09:35
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/75007

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