"Elfin Thunderbolt" opens with a fff explosion in the percussion, which then becomes an accompaniment for a brass fanfare. This fanfare-like material is stated in various ways in the opening section. A tranquil woodwind texture follows, under which rich brass chords are expressed. Suddenly the tempo becomes presto. A sprightly melody is stated by the flutes, and eventually passed through all of the woodwinds. Following a ritardando, the tranquil woodwind texture returns. All motion comes to a halt, until a ppp snare drum announces the final ascent to the thunderous conclusion.
— N.G.

Nancy Galbraith delivers a high-energy score with her "Elfin Thunderbolt" (1998). The music drives hard from its opening to a lullaby-like woodwind passage about two-thirds of the way through. The dreaminess is dispatched by the arrival of a snare drum that slowly ratchets the excitement level back to that of the work's opening.
— Fanfare Magazine