Leo Kraft, not to be
confused with his near-contemporary
William Kraft, was born in Brooklyn
in 1922. He studied composition with
Karol Rathaus, Randall Thompson and
Nadia Boulanger. He has a considerable
output in many genres, from chamber
music for solo instruments to large-scale
choral and orchestral works.
This release presents
a few fairly recent works in a fair
if incomplete survey of his present
output. His music is fairly traditional
by 20th century standards,
in that it is atonal – or freely tonal
– and is obviously free from any kind
of Americana. Leo Kraft seems to me
an American composer closer to Sessions
than to Copland. Though not intractably
complex, it is rather more austere,
harmonically stringent and mildly dissonant,
tightly structured and argued.
The works recorded
here perfectly illustrate Kraft’s variety
of approach and his music’s varied character
within a consistent language. The earliest
work is the Symphony in One Movement
from 1985, a compact monolith, strongly
argued and often abrasive. It is a quite
different proposition from, say, America’s
best-known one-movement symphony, Roy
Harris’s Third. On the other hand, if
compared to any of Sessions’ symphonies,
it is far more accessible and impressive,
if not always easy-going.
The slightly later
Clarinet Concerto, composed
in 1986 and revised in 2003 for the
present recording, has much in common
with the Symphony, although it is globally
somewhat lighter in mood and character,
with lively rhythms and a good deal
of good humour along with a pinch of
irony. The movement layout is a bit
unusual in that the opening moderately
fast movement is followed by a Fast
and lively Scherzo and a Quite
fast finale. It is an engaging work
that deserves wider exposure.
Pacific Bridges,
for string orchestra and clarinet obbligato,
is rather a suite in six clearly contrasted
movements than a concerto. The composer
tells us that "the title suggests its
significance" and that "the music is
meant as a bridge between the people
of Japan and the United States". He
also emphasises the music’s power to
span distances and different cultures.
However, the composer does not quote
any Japanese music: too "different from
[my] Western musical language". Instead
he uses some scales from traditional
Japanese music. This may be heard in
the first and fifth movements through
allusion than direct quote, so that
the music avoids any postcard imagery
and remains firmly Kraft’s own throughout.
Jacob Wrestles
with the Angel, a tone poem
for large orchestra, is described by
the composer as a parable, suggesting
– in more universal or general terms
– that "we struggle with forces which
we understand but dimly; each struggle
marks us for life". The music, however,
does not set out to depict, let alone
evoke Jacob’s fight with the Angel.
It is on the whole more abstract and
mostly reflects the composer’s own vision.
Kraft’s atonal idiom is perfectly suited
to the purpose, and is in turns dramatic,
energetic, meditative and – first and
foremost – strongly communicative.
Full marks to all concerned,
especially the Moravian Philharmonic
Orchestra, for playing such unfamiliar
repertoire with aplomb, conviction and
commitment. Both soloists are excellent,
and so is the recorded sound. A very
fine release well worth investigating,
for Kraft’s stylistically consistent,
well-crafted music is simply too good
to be ignored.
Hubert Culot
see also
review by Michael Cookson
Roger Salander (clarinet)* 
for
details
