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A “capa cocha” was a child of the ancient Incan civilization who was sacrificed to the gods. Only the most perfect and beautiful children from throughout the empire were selected for this ritual, and so it was considered an honor if one’s son or daughter was chosen. The capa cocha was taken from city to city in an elaborate procession which lasted many days, and then brought to the top of a mountain for the sacrificial ritual. It was believed that the child, in death, became a god.
The motives and harmonies of the work are derived entirely from two four-note sets. The four major sections of the work use four separate transposable scales built with these sets, and the modulations within these sections outline a unique fifth scale constructed in a similar way. The sections of the work depict the selection of the capa cocha, the procession, the ritual and sacrifice, and the deification of the child.
