Written in 2010.

For flute (Maycon Lack), French horn (Waleska Beltrami), contrabass (Claudio Alves), and piano (Tatiana Dumas).

Performer: Cron ensemble

About the Piece

 Vanilla is a genus of climbing plants. Some of its species are used to obtain the spice with the same name. The first use of Vanilla in the culinary is attributed to the ancient inhabitants from the Pre-Columbian America in the region where is Mexico today.

 Totonacas, who occupied the coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico near from currents cities of Veracruz and Papantla, were the people who traded vanilla in Pre-Columbian America. Its main buyers were the Aztecs. The imagery of the Totonac created a mythical history, which explains the emergence of vanilla. This legend tells us that the vines of vanilla was born from the princess Tzacopontziza blood (“Morning Star”), in the place where her captor and lover, Prince Zkatan-Oxga (“Young Deer”), and herself were caught and beheaded by the priests of the goddess of harvests, Tonoacayohua. The prince reincarnates a vigorous bush and the princess becomes the delicate orchid vine entwined tenderly to her lover. As they are climbing, all species of Vanilla require a bush on which they can build.

 This legend inspired the creation of this work. Some themes or sounds seek firming the personality of the princess and prince, Tzacopontziza and Zkatan-Oxga, respectively, main characters in the story. At some point, new sounds, more impactful and overwhelming, highlight the destruction of the princess and the prince. However, they reappear transformed, bigger, stronger and more ornamented, after crossing for every moment of destruction.