Mark John McEncroe releases his latest album, Live in Ostrava, via Navona Records. It sets out with a work titled 'Symphonic Poem – The Passing', a piece which chronicles the renewal of attitudes and ideas. The following work, 'Symphonic Suite No. 1 – A Modern Medieval Tale', while drawing on the same theme of the cyclicality of life, the it is a totally different beast.

The album contains 8 pieces (41 min, 35 sec) and rather than being a collection of the composer's previously released work, but played to an audience, this is a new collection, representing two very intimate works.

I have a fondness for Mark John McEncroe's compositions. In recent years he's released three incredibly emotive albums: Dark Clouds in Life Natalie's Suite & Other Works; Musical Images for Piano; and My Symphonic Poems: Orchestral Images. His music is able to reach out and connect with the listener on a raw emotional level, up there with some of the great classical composers in history.

If you are a lover of traditional classical music then you really need to hear this collection. The structure and delivery is impossible to not fall in love with. Thank the powers that be and (Navona Records) that McEncroe is able to share his talents with a much wider audience through this emotionally charged album.

Track listing:

01 - Symphonic Poem - The Passing (7:36)
Anthony Armore (conductor)

Symphonic Suite No. 1 - A Modern Medieval Tale
Heiko Mathias Förster (conductor)
02 - Entrance Of The King (4:25) 03 Strutting Peacocks – Hangers On At Court 3:25 04 Rising Discontent 6:40 05 Peasant’s Uprising 3:36 06 An Uneasy Truce 5:06 07 A New Way Forward 4:04 08 The Quest – A Search For Truth 6:46

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Darren Rea