Symphony No. 3 from composer Michael Kurek is a tribute to the history and natural beauty of England. The work is fundamentally Romantic, but is also influenced by Edwardian English music. The composer draws inspiration from personal memories, nature, poetry, and art...

I'm not exaggerating when I say that in my opinion, Michael Kurek's Symphony No. 3 is in the same league as Elgar's Enigma Variations, Holst's The Planets suite and Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 "From the New World". All three of these works have been personal favourites of mine since I was a youngster. Their appeal? It's mainly down to their beautiful melancholic tone and ability to stir a deeply emotional response, no matter how many times you've listened to them.

However, where Symphony No. 3 differs is in the fact that from the first to last note of this 4-part work (50 min, 47 sec) it's constantly grabbing your attention with passage after passage of emotionally draining themes and set pieces. If you enjoy melancholic classical music, then you'll find it hard to find anything as well polished and rewarding as this.

This builds wonderfully on Kurek's previous incredible releases: Symphony No. 2 Tales from the Realm of Faerie and Other Works and The Sea Knows.

'Upon a Walk in the English Countryside', recalls the composer’s emotional reaction to the lush, pastoral beauty of the English countryside. 'Stonehenge' reflects the austerity and timelessness of that ancient monument, while 'The Lady of Shalott' nods to Waterhouse’s colourful, pre-Raphaelite depiction of Tennyson’s famous poem. The symphony’s conclusion, 'The Major Oak of Sherwood Forest,' celebrates the roughly 1000-year-old tree in Nottinghamshire and is perhaps the most climactic of Kurek’s works.

I can not recommend this enough. I've been listening to this on repeat for weeks now, and I can't see a time when it won't be a delight to listen to it.

10

Darren Rea