Horn Concerto “Ab origine”

Given Javier Bonet's fascination for the natural horn, and taking into consideration that the horn is one of the most primitive instruments in concept, this piece has a historic flavour. Ab origine (From the origins) evokes the first instruments (the sea snail, the alpine horn and the natural horn) and highlights the expressive possibilities of the instrument in its simplest and purest conception, playing with the natural sounds.

The piece is conceived in three movements. The first gives the subtitle to the entire piece. Evoking nature, the soloist begins with the sea snail, under a subtle percussion accompaniment in the background. He then moves on to the Alpine horn hinting at the main theme beneath an ambience of soft harmonics in the upper strings. At the beginning of the Allegro, he changes to the natural horn and presents the principal theme in its entirety.

The next thematic material is presented with the chromatic horn (the contemporary horn), but the movement ends by returning, in mirror fashion, to the origins (natural horn - alpine horn - snail). Chamber music textures predominate throughout the whole movement although there are several passages of strongly bright sonority.

This version, with a reduced wind section, was premiered on April 13, 2012 in the Auditori i Palau de Congressos de Castelló, performed by the Orquestra Simfònica de Castelló, with the French horn soloist Javier Bonet, under the baton of Henrie Adams.