Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen

Circius

The work is important for me because it was my first piece to be performed outside Norway. Black Dyke Band/David King performed it and did a recording of it in 1991.

In the original score I quote a Swedish bishop (Olaus Mangnus) who lived in the 15th century. He travelled around Scandinavia and drew maps - very important historic material.

When he came to the north of Norway (where I come from) he decribed the wind from the north as Ciricus: (something like) Worst of all winds is Circius, that revolves (?= turn upside down) heaven and earth.' (Well, not a good translation I´m afraid).

The fast sections reflects the mighty winds from the north. In the middle section, I borrowed a folksong-like tune (by C. Elling, a Norwegian composer). The text (by Kristoffer Janson) tells about old times when the fishermen used open boats: they had to put their lives in the hands of God.