Koyunbaba IV presto by Carlo Domeniconi -

Koyunbaba IV presto by Carlo Domeniconi (born 1947)

Domeniconi possibly is most well known for his 1985 piece Koyunbaba. The name is actually Turkish and literally translates as “sheep-father” (koyun-baba), or “shepherd”, some sources also translate it to “the spirit of the sheep”, but also refers to many other things, including a 13th century mystical saint-like figure whose grave is decorated with coloured bits of cloth by Turkish villagers seeking his help with family problems. “Koyunbaba” is also the family name of his descendants, who still reside in the area, and the name of a wild, dry region of Southwest Turkey. According to local legend, the area is seemingly cursed – numerous people who have attempted to rent or purchase the land from the Koyunbaba family have died or fallen ill.