The idea of Håkan en Belgique came to Räihälä's mind in 1999, when a critic slagged off Berlioz's Harold en Italie in a newspaper. The critic wrote that, even if it was Håkan en Belgique, the music is too light. Räihälä decided to write a piece with that name, and to follow Berlioz's example, made it a viola concerto. It took him three years to start working on it, but once started, the composition was ready in a record speed of something like six weeks. Håkan en Belgique was specially written for Räihälä's close friend, the composer and contemporary viola specialist Max Savikangas, who played the solo in the first performance of the piece in November 2002.

Håkan en Belgique is in one movement but it is divided into nine sections. These describe a person named Håkan, and his trip to Belgium. The work is a sort of instrument theatre, where the soloist plays the comedy role of Håkan and is also asked to improvise, play duck whistle and open (and have a good drink of) a bottle of booze. The "story" behind the music makes Håkan unashamedly programmatic music. The work lasts about 23 minutes and is a full-scale viola concerto. The orchestra, however is a small one with single woodwinds and brass, one percussionist and a small string orchestra.

The sections are named:

1. Håkan fools around and makes up his mind
2. Håkan decides to leave to Belgium
3. Håkan loses his way in Vantaa
4. Håkan flies from Hakunila and finds direction
5. Håkan gets pissed big time
6. Håkan in hangover
7. Håkan arrives to Belgium
8. Håkan's disappointment
9. Håkan decides to bugger off