Miguel Farías
Kuyén
Short instrumentation: 2 2 2 2 - 4 2 2 1, timp, perc(2), cel, str
Duration: 21'
Instrumentation details:
1st flute
2nd flute
1st oboe
2nd oboe
1st clarinet in Bb
2nd clarinet in Bb
1st bassoon
2nd bassoon
1st horn in F
2nd horn in F
3rd horn in F
4th horn in F
1st trumpet in C
2nd trumpet in C
1st trombone
2nd trombone
tuba
timpani
1st percussion
2nd percussion
celesta
violin
violin I
violin II
viola
violoncello
double bass
Kuyén
Sample pages
Work introduction
Kuyén, concerto for violin and orchestra.
Kuyén (from Mapudungun küyen, Moon) is a personification of the Moon in the culture of the Mapuche people. It represents the moon, the feminine of creation. Antu, the most powerful pillán (the sun, mapuche deity), chose her as his wife, which caused the envy of the rest of the stars, the Wangulens (female deities), and ended with a revolt. Antu punished the rebels, and the wangulens dimmed their brightness, so, after that the brightest light of the night is Kuyén.
In this violin concerto, Kuyén is represented by the soloist violin. Kuyén create bright resonances on the orchestra, which works as a connection with the earth, a connection with the roots of mankind and humanity, represented in harsh and rustic sounds.
Kuyén was written for Rachel Lee Priday and for Christian Baldini, conductor of the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra. This work was commissioned by UC Davis Symphony Orchestra with funds from Ibermúsicas.