Kullervo Op.7 (1892), a Symphonic Poem
which preceded the symphonies, was a long, heavy and unrewarding hour
and twenty minutes, despite committed playing by the Philharmonia enthused
by Esa-Pekka Salonen's advocacy. The Finnish Polytech Choir did all
that was possible for the male chorus unison narration of the nasty
little story of unwilling sibling coupling, leading to remorse and suicide
of the eponymous 'hero' of this part of the 20,000-verse collection
of Kalevala texts, which became a focus for Finnish nationalism
and inspired the country's composers, none more so than Sibelius. The
solo parts are unrewarding, and I was not as engaged with Kullervo (Jorma
Hynninen) and his un-named sister (Monica Groop) as one can
be with Siegmund and Sieglinde.
Sibelius was a hard act for the next generation of
Finnish composers to follow, and his dominant stature was something
of a millstone around their necks. Lindberg has certainly kicked over
all the traces. For the composer's own perspective of Kraft
(1985) click here onto Marc
Bridle's interview with the composer. From the Philharmonia's website,
we learn that Kraft
was commissioned by the Helsinki Festival and was written between
1983 and 1985 and is described as "one of the masterpieces of Finnish
orchestral music". It lasts 27 minutes, makes a huge impression
on those who hear it, and the whole experience can be best appreciated
when seen in a live concert. It is performed by a chamber group of amplified
musicians and an orchestra, alongside unconventional percussion and
an enormous suspended Tam Tam.
At this point I pause. A couple of minutes in, that
Tam Tam (which must have presented a serious health hazard to the hearing
of the expensively seated listeners immediately in front of it) collapsed
and toppled forward onto two of them. Efforts were made to put it up
on its frame again (clearly a first priority - the performance continued
with Salonen impervious to its absence from the cacophony he was unleashing)
and one victim was taken out with a bleeding head, to be followed after
a few minutes by two people with a large red medical aid bag. The other
victim, who had been only bruised, stuck it out, but kept a very wary
eye upon the offending instrument throughout the performance.
Some "comments and personal recollections" below, also
from the elaborate and comprehensive Related
Rocks Philharmonia/London Sinfonietta website, give some idea of
what to expect if Kraft is given again in the future somewhere
near you: "- - those sounds--so varied, so lively, so unexpected, so
alluring - - seemed to set nature herself vibrating, even to the point
of shaking swarms of gnats out of the trees… an orchestral blow out
that asks for just about everything except the kitchen sink - - it was
hard to tell; one might have been hidden behind the rack of junked automobile
parts that the composer whacked on from time to amazing time. - - Loudspeakers
surrounded the audience. There were gongs everywhere. "Kraft's"
reputation stems from its sophisticated intellectual and acoustical
character, and the, well, power and strength--even brutality--of the
sound …the impression is of extending possibilities. - - "
The audience seemed to buy all that, though I didn't,
and two eminences in the Royal Box party (the Finnish Ambassador?) disappeared
- not too surprisingly, because they had to share their box with two
of those large loudspeakers - and a few others left before the end.
Knowing it would all be over in half an hour, I stayed, having many
times in the past greatly enjoyed Lindberg's music. Aura
for large orchestra was a stupendous experience at the Aldeburgh
Festival and subsequently impressed on CD [DG
463 184-2], and more recently I reported positively on Lindberg
as featured composer at Porvoo
.
Kraft was a far from restful experience. Members
of the orchestra (in black) and members of the Finnish experimental
ensemble Toimii (in cricketing whites) followed the first aid people
in continually processing around the auditorium, often having to hurry
to reach their appointed destinations in due time. It made little difference
to the undifferentiated noise, which for most of the time beset us from
all sides. Centre stage, Salonen conducted in all directions, occasionally
banged things, and composer Lindberg played piano and did his percussive
part elsewhere, as did cellist Anssi Kartunen & clarinettist Kari
Krikku, all to equally little avail.
I would not make a special journey to revisit Kraft,
as I would willingly for Stockhausen's Gruppen
(1957) for three orchestras, a reference work for orchestral spatialism,
which I have enjoyed immoderately at a Prom and in the Royal Festival
Hall, and one showing far more genuine originality than Kraft.
Peter Grahame Woolf
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