the Cihuacoatl’s eye
— for fl, cl, cbsn, tpt, tbn, str quintet, and electronics.
duration: 14 min
About the Work

According to Aztec mythology, the fertility and childbirth goddess Cihaucoatl is a fierce skull-faced old woman who carries the shield and spears of a warrior. She helped Quetzalcoatl create the current race of humanity by grinding up bones from the previous ages, and mixing it with his blood.
In many traditions, childbirth has long been compared to warfare and the women who die in childbirth are honored as fallen warriors. At once chaotic and monstrous, this piece ultimately traces a sense of resilient lament.
<The musical language of this work, however, has nothing to do with Aztec practices>.
— Du Yun
The world premiere of Du Yun’s Fallen Warriors, the Cihuacoatl’s Eye was performed on January 27-28, 2011 at (le) Poisson Rouge in New York City, featuring Du Yun on vocals and Metropolis Ensemble led by conductor Andrew Cyr.