WORK OF THE WEEK – HERBERT WILLI: DSONG

8 Aug 2022

Despite Korea and Austria being thousands of miles apart, music has created an unlikely link between the two nations: Austrian composer Herbert Willi dedicates his new composition DSONG to the basic Korean principle of connection. Performed as an excerpt in three movements, DSONG receives its premiere on 14 August 2022 at the Festspielhaus Bregenz with the Orchesterakademie Bregenz and musical director Daniel Cohen.

Connectedness in Korean - Herbert Willi's DSONG

All Koreans understand "Dsong" and yet there is no precise definition: "Dsong" stands for an inner connection between a person and nature, a person and a certain place, philosophy or object, and especially for the connection between two people. "Dsong" is to be understood as friendship, love and a closeness in the heart. It also stands for the kindness in gestures, such as helping a neighbour with their shopping. A starting point for his composition, Willi traces a musical path towards this basic principle of Korean culture. In the excerpt in three movements, this journey begins with an energetic wake-up call and ends in silence.

A representation of "Dsong" is the first presidential couple of the Democratic Republic of South Korea. Rhee Syngman was Korean and his wife was Austrian. I dedicate DSONG to the original First First Lady of the Republic of Korea, my fellow compatriot Franziska. Herbert Willi

In addition to the three movements premiered in Bregenz, Willi composed a total of seven further movements for DSONG. These are available from Schott Music in a version of five movements and an edition comprising all ten movements.