Stephen Elmas (1862-1937)

[Mark Thomas]

... and Elmas' Third Piano Concerto proves to be pretty much a clone of the first two. Despite 18 years elapsing between the No.1 and No.3, there is no discernible development in style. In terms of both the music and the performances, if you liked what you heard in Nos.1 and 2, then you'll enjoy No.3. On the other hand, don't go looking for any more profundity in this piece than was demonstrated by the other two.

[JimL]

In case you're still interested:

Piano Concerto No. 1 is in G minor.

Piano Concerto No. 2 is in D minor.

Piano Concerto No. 3 is in E minor.

All 3 are up on YT now.

[eschiss1]

Always, in my case - erm, almost always (major general syndrome? me?)

[Gauk]

erm. not sure I have a fair notion of what "sounds Armenian" really sounds like, authentically, anyway.

That's very easy - it means inflected with either Armenian folk music or church music. Armenian church music is particularly distinctive - the melodic shapes used by Hovhaness are cribbed directly from it.

On another note, i completely agree with Mark re Elmas's concertos.

[Alan Howe]

The Elmas concertos aren't great music - the dreamy slow movements are without doubt the best parts of them. The outer movements are pretty well all too long and meandering. I'm glad to have heard them all, but I don't think Hyperion will be doing them...

[redieze]

Yes, the 3 concertos are recorded and available as 3 separate cds on stephanelmas .org/boutique

[Gareth Vaughan]

A little bird tells me they may well be recorded by Hyperion, but I don't know when. The present recordings are not "top drawer".

[Ilja]

But they're also hardly excruciating - solid enough, I think, and Babakhian is a reliable performer. In other words, I don't think giving these works more attention is going to result in an eye-opening experience.
I really like these works, but for what they are: solid, sometimes inspired pieces by a provincial composer. They do suffer from "finale problems" rather badly though; Elmas is at his least interesting in these "whimsical" third movements.

[Alan Howe]

I'd buy them again, I suppose - but not with great enthusiasm.

[Mark Thomas]

I'm sure that between us it wouldnt take long to come up with quite a few potentially more deserving candidates for the RPC series than Elmas' concertos, pleasant enough though they are.

[Alan Howe]

Quite so.

[jonah]

Further to earlier postings, Hyperion's website shows as 'coming soon' piano concertos by Elmas.  Unfortunately, the cover image is not clear, but it looks as though two concertos are included.  I cannot make out which two, nor details of the pianist, but perhaps someone with links to Hyperion may know more?
Having already bought all three concertos on cd from the Elmas Foundation, I would still be interested in the Hyperion issue and, regardless of whether the concertos are great music or not, they will certainly fit very well into the Hyperion Romantic Piano Concertos series.

[Alan Howe]

Here's a link to the relevant Hyperion web page:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/advertisements/Hyperion/2020/Oct2020.htm

All I can make out is that the soloist/conductor is Howard Shelley, with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

[FBerwald]

Am I mistaken or is there another RPC volume shown beside Elmas CD. From the tiny cover image I feel like it's Paderewski.

[Alan Howe]

No, I'd spotted that too. I think the pianist might be Jonathan Plowright - see this thread:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,7431.msg80499.html#msg80499

So, back to Elmas...