Kraft (Lindberg)

Kraft is a composition for solo ensemble, electronics, and orchestra by the Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg. The work was commissioned by the Helsinki Festival and was first performed on September 4, 1985 by the Toimii ensemble and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen. The piece was awarded the International Rostrum of Composers in 1986 and won the Nordic Council Music Prize in 1988.

Kraft has a duration of approximately 25 minutes and is composed in two numbered movements. It was composed between 1983 and 1985. Lindberg described the electronic elements of the piece in the score program notes, writing:

All the musical material of the piece has been prepared with a micro-computer, with programmes written in FORTH allowing a very flexible control of rhythm and chord processes. The programme is based on a formalization of rules for creation of rhythmic events, gestures and temporal processes, and an environment allowing a graphical output for metric notation. Similar rule-based programmes control the creation of harmonic material by a comparison to previously defined and accepted chordal successions given by the composer.

He added, "The control of amplification and spatialization of the soloists during the performance is done with an application written in PreFORM and running on a Macintosh computer allowing a precise control of movement in the hall in real time."

The work is scored for an ensemble of soloists and a large orchestra consisting of four flutes (4th doubling piccolo), alto flute, three oboes, cor anglais, three clarinets (doubling E-flat clarinet), bass clarinet, alto saxophone, three bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, four trumpets, four trombones, tuba, four percussionists, two harps, piano (doubling celesta), and strings. The soloists comprise a clarinet (doubling E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, and contrabass clarinet), two percussionists, piano, cello, a sound controller, and the conductor; these soloists must from time to time leave the stage to play an assortment of junkyard percussion instruments or perform various other extended techniques.

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