The musical style is essentially tonal, evoking the work's period setting through galops and marches; instrumental interludes are highly programmatic, and choral ensembles make use of original onomatopoeic devices. The music of Treasure Island is more adventurous; colorful hornpipes are used, but the language is richly chromatic and there is considerable rhythmic intensity. Through his editorial work, Elkus has focused on the music of Charles Ives.
Elkus
Charles Ives