Steve Elcock: Orchestral Music, Volume Three
This third volume of orchestral music by the Anglo-French composer Steve Elcock (b. 1957) features two symphonies and a quasi-concerto. Over the course of its two movements, the Sixth Symphony, which bears the title Tyrants Destroyed, moves from grief to outrage, rising to a grimly triumphant conclusion. The one-movement Seventh – with some of its material derived from the words of a song Elcock heard in a dream – runs a gamut of emotion, from anger to heartbreak, in its impassioned narrative. Manic Dancing, a piano concerto in all but name, inhabits a complex world of driving rhythms, nostalgic flashbacks and hectic dance music – buoyant and good-natured, like Martinů on speed.
Marina Kosterina, piano (Tracks 8-10)
Siberian Symphony Orchestra
Dmitry Vasiliev, conductor
Listen To This Recording:
-
Symphony No. 7, Op. 33 (2020)
- Adagio –
- Allegro moderato –
- Largamente –
- Subito allegro moderato –
- Agitato –
- Adagio –
- A tempo (andante)
- Allegro commodo –
- Largo –
- Tempo primo
- I Molto moderato –
- Letter C (bar 65)
- II Allegro –
- Letter N (bar 229) –
- Letter T (bar 325)
Manic Dancing, Op. 25 (2015)
Symphony No. 6, Op. 30, Tyrants Destroyed (2017)
FIRST RECORDINGS
MusicWeb International :
‘If you have already been collecting these releases then this disc is self-recommending. If you are new to Elcock, set aside the appropriate amount of time to unpack these compositionally dense and emotionally wide-ranging works before diving in. The Siberian Orchestra under Dmitry Vasiliev play with all the commitment one could want and soloist Marina Kosterina perseveres through the technical challenges of Manic Dancing. […] The recording is good, delivering both the spectral sarabande and climactic waves and peaks of the symphonies with immediate impact.’
—Christopher Little, MusicWeb International
Arcana.Fm :
‘What’s the story?
Toccata Classics continues its survey of Steve Elcock’s orchestral music with a third volume that features two of his most recent symphonies alongside his piano concerto malgré-lui, each demonstrating a visceral immediacy and a quixotic individuality as previously encountered. […]
Does it all work?
Indeed, not least in underlining the overt distinctiveness of Elcock’s symphonies as taken on their own terms. As before, the playing of the Siberian Symphony Orchestra leaves nothing to chance in bringing out the sheer imagination and richness of the orchestral writing, with Dmitry Vasiliev ensuring that formal cohesion remain paramount. Marina Kosterina contributes animated and resourceful pianism, and those who have responded positively to earlier volumes in this series (TOCC0400/0445) will be gripped or maybe even a little disconcerted by this latest addition.
Is it recommended?
Yes, not least with sound of clarity and impact comparable to earlier instalments, and detailed notes from Francis Pott. Toccata will hopefully continue its series of Elcock’s chamber music, while the English Symphony Orchestra has recorded his Eighth Symphony for future release.’
—Richard Whitehouse, Arcana.Fm
Classical Music Sentinel :
‘I must say that for an autodidact composer, Anglo-French composer Steve Elcock (b. 1957) never fails to impress by his keen imagination and firm grasp on structure and development. […] Unlike many of today’s composers, who like some painters, splash different colors on a canvas in a haphazard fashion, and call whatever the end result is a masterpiece, Steve Elcock’s home-grown methodology and writing technique produce tangible and effectively satisfying musical results. He may very well be a 21st century composer, but he adds his own original and highly brilliant brush strokes to a canvas framed by historical convention. […]
I you were worried that the art of symphonic writing had gone to pot, give the music of Steve Elcock a listen. It’s a rewarding experience, at least in my opinion, and sits well above most of what passes for music these days.’
—Jean-Yves Duperron, Classical Music Sentinel
Fanfare :
‘the Siberian Symphony Orchestra under the well-thought-out leadership of conductor Dmitry Vasiliev presents all three works in superb fashion, doing full justice to Elcock’s demanding scores.’
—Fanfare
WTJU :
‘Elcock has a strong sense of melody. […]
Whether progression or regression, the [symphony no.7] has an organic feel to it. And one that makes the listener’s journey satisfyingly symphonic. […]
Pianist Marina Kosterina navigates Elcock’s forest of notes with aplomb. Her energy never falters. And her performance is nuanced. It isn’t all fast and loud. Her phrasing provides emotional contrast and even moments of contemplation.
The Siberian Symphony Orchestra directed by Dmitry Vasiliev turns in some fine performances. All three works are world premiere recordings, so this material is new to the musicians. No matter. Vasiliev gives us the heart of these scores, and the orchestra delivers.’
—Ralph Graves, WTJU
Art Music Lounge :
What a performance 2022 winner
I’m guessing that Elcock writes music to express his inner feelings and somehow finds a way to do so, but the astonishing thing for a man who had very little formal training in music, his scores are not merely complex but masterly in every way including orchestration. I’ve heard many an American academic composer who just barely reaches the bottom of Elcock’s heights of fancy; he may well be the best self-taught British-born composer since Kaikhosru Sorabji…except that Elcock doesn’t go on for three to eight hours at a time. […]
The power and edginess in the symphony grows as we move from section to section; by the time we’ve reached the “Agitato” portion, the tympani are banging away beneath screaming strings and excitable brass of all sorts (not just the trumpets and trombones, but also the horns), and this vibe continues into the “Adagio.” Somewhere in the heart of modest, gentle Steve Elcock is a streak of violence and menace; thankfully, he seems to be able to purge those demons in his music. The symphony ends with quiet but very sad, elegiac music. […]
Elcock is clearly an interesting composer who has his own voice and some very interesting things to say. Highly recommended.’
—Lynn René Bayley, Art Music Lounge