Review on 🎶 Exquisite Symphony: Monbar's No Characteristic Overture Unveiled by James Broome

First let me say that I don't think the thickness of the booklet that comes with this listing deserves the reduction in star rating it gets elsewhere. In fact, I've often noticed that reviewers have complained about the lack of information in the entries. Now for something more fundamental: to be honest I bought this record on a whim, out of curiosity to hear the music of a rather obscure composer. The mood paid off. Boy is it ever! This is really beautiful music, full of melodic fiction. It's dynamic and powerful, with lots of humor to boot. By that I don't mean that he's relentlessly loud or aggressive. It has many moments of calm. I particularly enjoyed the Piano Concerto, with cascades of sparkling notes falling like gems. Oh yes, there are people who might accuse me of exaggerating, but I think the music justifies it. In addition, the performance and recording do full justice to the music. Why, oh why, isn't this music part of the standard repertoire? BRAVO!