Danny Elfman: Percussion Concerto & Wunderkammer Colin Currie, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra & JoAnn Falletta

• Danny Elfman (b. 1953): Wunderkammer:
• 1 Elfman: Wunderkammer: I 09:29
• 2 Elfman: Wunderkammer: II 06:55
• 3 Elfman: Wunderkammer: III 07:37
• Percussion Concerto:
• 4 Elfman: Percussion Concerto: I. Triangle 06:25
• 5 Elfman: Percussion Concerto: II. D.S.C.H. 07:10
• 6 Elfman: Percussion Concerto: III. Down 09:44
• 7 Elfman: Percussion Concerto: IV. Syncopate 07:01
• Are You Lost?:
• 8 Elfman: Are You Lost? 07:39
• Total Runtime 01:02:00

Info for Danny Elfman: Percussion Concerto & Wunderkammer

Danny Elfman, known the world over for his scores to over 115 movies, including numerous collaborations with directors Tim Burton, Gus van Sant and Sam Raimi, not to mention the classic theme for The Simpsons, adds two major orchestral works to his recorded catalogue. The dynamic American conductor JoAnn Falletta directs the forces of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in this new studio recording.

The Percussion Concerto was written for the Scottish virtuoso Colin Currie and was co-commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, who gave the world premiere at London’s Royal Festival Hall in May 2022, and Soka University of America. The concerto is Elfman’s third work in the form, following the Violin Concerto, Eleven Eleven, of 2017 (also recorded by Sony Classical) and the Cello Concerto of 2022. ‘The audience were captivated by Colin Currie’s every move as he performed the piece. Darting across the stage between instruments, Currie is a true showman,’ wrote Amy Melling (Abundant Art) of the US premiere. Wunderkammer, a concerto for orchestra, was written for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, which toured the piece in the UK before playing it at the BBC Proms in London’s Royal Albert Hall in August 2022.

The album is completed with a short choral piece in French, ‘Are you lost?’, from Elfman’s song-cycle Trio. Scored for women’s voices, piano, strings and various percussion instruments, the work was actually premiered at the recording sessions in Liverpool, and give a glimpse at a sonic world that we don’t usually associate with the composer: gentle, reflective and delicate.

The Percussion Concerto and Wunderkammer will be released by Sony Classical on May 17th.

Colin Currie, percussion
Kantos Chamber Choir
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
JoAnn Falletta, conductor

Colin Currie
Hailed as “the world’s finest and most daring percussionist” (Spectator), Colin Currie is a solo and chamber artist at the peak of his powers. Championing new music at the highest level, Currie is the soloist of choice for many of today’s foremost composers and he performs regularly with the world's leading orchestras and conductors.

A dynamic and adventurous soloist, Currie’s commitment to commissioning and creating new music was recognised in 2015 by the Royal Philharmonic Society who awarded him the Instrumentalist Award.

From his earliest years, Currie forged a pioneering path in creating new music for percussion, winning the Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award in 2000 and receiving a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award in 2005.

Currie has premiered works by composers such as Steve Reich, Elliott Carter, Louis Andriessen, HK Gruber, James MacMillan, Anna Clyne, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Jennifer Higdon, Kalevi Aho, Rolf Wallin, Kurt Schwertsik, Alexander Goehr, Andrew Norman, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Julia Wolfe and Nico Muhly. Looking ahead, in the coming seasons, Currie will premiere new works by Andy Akiho, Helen Grime and Simon Holt.

Currie is Artist in Association at London’s Southbank Centre, where he was the focus of a major percussion festival Metal Wood Skin in 2014 and continues to perform there every season.

This album contains no booklet.