From the BEA report on the Tarom incident:
Just before the stall, the Captain pulled the control column fully back, bringing the elevator to 23 degrees nose up. He then pushed it fully forward, while continuing to counter the roll of 75 degrees to the right with the ailerons. The statistical data shows that, when confronted by a stall, in 80% of cases, pilots pull back the control column, in a sort of reflex movement, which continues the loss of control.
It occurs to me that the Captain may have been momentarily uncertain of the direction to the nearest horizon. They were 60 degrees nose up after all.
Add a little roll and he may not have been able to see the horizon initially. This might explain the otherwise inexplicable pitch control motions.