Johann Amerhauser

Losgelöst

With the polka "Losgelöst," Austrian composer Johann Amerhauser presents a work brimming with joie de vivre and personal emotion. The composition was written in the spring of 2025, when it was already clear that Amerhauser would make his final stage appearance on September 30, 2025, after decades of active musical performance. In this polka, the longtime member of the Bergknappen-Musikkapelle Trimmelkam musically processes his farewell to the stage—not with wistfulness, but with lightness, gratitude, and optimism. Lively themes, varied passages, and melodies that are distinctly catchy characterize the work. In particular, the surprising transition to the trio creates a delightful musical moment and leads into a catchy melody that immediately sticks in the memory. The arrangement was done by Pavol Prostredný, who has clothed the composer’s musical ideas in a varied and effective soundscape for wind orchestra. The result is a polka that invites listeners to listen, hum along, and enjoy—a musical tribute marking the conclusion of a fulfilling musical life.