Danny Elfman (b.1953)
Violin Concerto, Eleven Eleven (2017)
Adolphus Hailstork (b.1941)
Piano Concerto No. 1 (1992)
Sandy Cameron (violin)
Stewart Goodyear (piano)
Buffalo Philharmonic/JoAnn Falletta
rec. live, 2019-2022, New York, USA
Naxos American Classics 8.559925 [65]
Here are two concertos, separated by 25 years, by twentieth century composers in sound that is very good in detail and in perspective. The performances which have been taken down live (presumably with some patching) are confident and a delight, especially so in the case of the Hailstork.
Danny Elfman oozes talent of a high order. His music surfaces in so many places. The Violin Concerto Eleven Eleven is a mighty construct running to about 42 minutes in four movements: I. Grave; Animato; II. Spietato (cold-blooded); III. Fantasma; IV Giacoso; Lacrime. The Elfman concert style happily tangles grandeur and virtuosity in the most exalted standards of the last century. He sustains his players and listeners with luxury scoring which carries off transparency in the orchestration. Florid writing and catchy asides distinguish this concerto. He indulges a complex palette that sings, rings and jingles in the ear. His Spietato seems to reference Bernard Herrmann and William Walton. Here also stands the composer of the hurly-burly Simpsons’ theme tune. The notes refer to Elfman’s “love for the music of Shostakovich and Prokofiev”. I hear much more of Prokofiev than I do of Shostakovich. In the Fantasma the tone and treatment are more ruminative, cossetting, auburn and passionate. The upbeat finale scurries at pianissimo and forte but takes a breather for romance which tips over into sorrow, hence the lacrime marking. There is talk in the notes of this being a “Concerto Noir” and this movement has the preponderance of evidence to support that impression. The title refers to the fact that the work is reported to be 1111 bars in length. I should add that the violin is amplified (so says Naxos) but its natural sound intrinsic and in proportion to the orchestra does not betray this one whit.
Sandy Cameron trounces the work’s titanic demands and lets awe into the picture in happy equipoise with a panchrome of other emotions. The Elfman concerto has already been recorded by Sony, again with Sandy Cameron but joined there by the RSNO and John Mauceri. Sony couple it with more Elfman.
Adolphus Hailstork is of African-American heritage. He has for some time been receiving some increased attention from Naxos (review review). His catalogue has some other entries including from CRI but his representation is not numerously crowded. This Piano Concerto is a strong contender. It’s catchy and directly romantic. Don’t believe me? … then listen to the yearningly crystalline Adagio which is longer than the outer movements of this three movement score. You might find Samuel Barber or Nikolai Kapustin helpful parallels, but by contrast the Hailstork work is not overtly affected by jazz. This concerto is to my ears superior to the less than engaging Barber; a ‘matte’ work I have struggled with over the years. The final Lento – Vivace is romantic and has its roots loosely but relevantly planted in Rachmaninov and Hanson. It’s a bright and dewy-eyed winner with an explosive and affirmative close. The Hailstork Concerto is unashamedly joyous and constantly leans in to enlist your head and heart. Keep an eye (and ear) on Hailstork.
Rob Barnett
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