Hurst Hornung

In all of his work, Bussotti makes frequent reference to the body, to sexuality. This to remind musicians — especially classically trained ones — that they are not body-less angels, that they are not just their musical thoughts, that they are still, in the last analysis, flesh and bones. Thus the erotic is not for shocking, but to stress that making music involves the body in a very direct way.

Geierwally, who earned her name through a bitter fight with a bird of prey, refuses to marry Vinzenz, the heir apparent assigned to her by her father, and lives a secluded life in a mountain hut. Her love for Bärenjosef seems hopeless, especially since he knows nothing of Wally's love. She becomes increasingly isolated, becomes the laughing stock of the village, and misunderstandings arise because Bärenjosef's sister Afra is mistakenly regarded as his “girlfriend.” Wally then decides that she would rather have Josef dead than not at all...