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This is a significant disc – and not just because it completes the Brian symphony discography. The music is convincingly played by the New Russia State Symphony Orchestra and Alexander Walker... — MusicWeb International, June 2019 More…

My expectations of high performance quality were fully met by these gripping accounts. Walker achieves extraordinarily intense playing that illuminates this music to its best advantage. — MusicWeb International, May 2015 More…

Their gusto in tackling Brian’s complex, often cryptic but rewarding scores is very winning. All the music here shows the old maverick forging ahead from epic breadth to extreme compression,... — BBC Music Magazine, August 2019, 3 out of 5 stars (Performance) / 4 out of 5 stars (Recording) More…

The late Robert Simpson once referred to Havergal Brian as the 'Original Awkward Cuss raised to the level of genius'. A highly misunderstood composer, one either loves (sadly the minority) or... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

I'll gently recommend this disc to anyone interested in exploring Brian...It's not an easy journey...But it is worthwhile. — Fanfare More…

Nothing here is in the same league as Brian's Gothic Symphony, although the Fantastic Variations offer pleasing charm. Strong, efficient performances. — BBC Music Magazine, November 2011, 3 out of 5 stars More…

Walker secures fine playing by this unfamiliar orchestra whose brass section, pleasingly, avoid, the excessive vibrato of previous Russian generations. — BBC Music Magazine, November 2013, 4 out of 5 stars More…