Dr. Kenyon WilsonSongs of Distant Earth
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In 2006, the International Astronomical Union clarified the definition of a planet, creating a new class of objects known as dwarf planets. They are defined as a celestial body orbiting the Sun that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity but has not cleared its neighboring region of planetesimals and is not a moon. There are five known dwarf planets: Eris, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Ceres.
Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, is the largest of the known dwarf planets. The movement commences with a brief fanfare based on Eris’s original catalogue designation, UB313. Following the opening section, the audience hears the main motive that appears throughout the entire movement. An argument between the principal trumpet, horn, and trombone follows the opening motive and represents the mythology that Eris started the Trojan war by creating discord between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. The movement concludes with a restatement of the original fanfare.
Pluto, the god of the underworld and the second largest of the dwarf planets, was discovered in 1930 and designated a planet for 76 years. After the discovery of Eris, a larger neighbor, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet. Because of Pluto’s demotion, the movement is appropriately set in the style of a funeral march.
Haumea, the patron goddess of Hawaii, is an atypical dwarf planet. Unlike the other dwarf planets, its rapid rotation causes the planet to be ellipsoid rather than spherical in shape. As such, the outer sections of the movement are humorous and asymmetrical with the inner section being a ethereal chorale section.
Makemake is the god of fertility in the mythos of the Rapanui, the native people of Easter Island. It is unique in that it is the only dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt (the region past the orbit of Neptune) that lacks a moon. The music of this movement, therefore, represents the longing of a childless mother.
Ceres, the goddess of growing plants, the harvest, and motherly love, is the only dwarf planet to inhabit the asteroid belt. Since its discovery in 1801, it has seen its status change from planet to asteroid and finally to dwarf planet. Ceres takes 4.6 years to orbit the sun compared to over 245 years for the other dwarf planets and because of its extremely fast orbit, a moto perpetuo style is employed throughout the movement.