Concerto

Äon is the last part of Herbert Willi's 'Montafon' cycle in which the composer pays tribute to the valley of the same name in the Austrian province of Vorarlberg where he lives, inspired and fascinated by the unspoilt landscape and the 'audible silence' of the region. In all four instrumental concertos of the cycle, Willi’s music centres on the significance of silence and self-contemplation. In addition to the horn concerto, the cycle consists of the trumpet concerto Eirene (2001), the concerto for flute, oboe and orchestra …geraume Zeit… (2002-2003), and the clarinet concerto ego eimi (2005-2006).

The title of the three-movement concerto Äon hints at the fact that many elements from the previous 'Montafon' works have been summed up and brought to completion here, as if marking the end of an era. In the two outer movements, the soloist can show off his brilliance and virtuosity; the middle movement is marked 'molto espressive, dolce'. The finale is characterized by a march rhythm which leads to tonal transfiguration and eventually to silence.