When Edward Elgar was dying he wanted the notes for his uncompleted third symphony, which had been comissioned by the BBC, to be destroyed. However about 5 years ago, after Antony Payne had done a bit of preliminary work, he was given the go ahead to complete the work by Elgar's family. The result is a magnificent piece of music, which compares well with the other two symphonies and in many ways completes them. How much of it is Elgar and how much is Payne is open to discussion, but no-one would have any doubts about it sounding like the genuine thing.

In this case the work is all Brel's and perhaps it is a good thing that the world can at last hear these five songs and judge them on their merits at the same time bearing in mind the state of Brel's health at that period.