London Philharmonic Orchestra

The first half’s Beethoven piano concerto centred on pianist Hong Xu, who masterfully flowed through wiggly scales with a nice and reverential melodramatic nodding head.

The highlight however was Tchaikovsky’s symphony no. 4, starting with a striking brass fanfare which led into an intricately fluttering call and response between strings, woodwind and brass in the second movement. The delicately layered third movement was beautiful, and the charismatic conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier managed the volume of pizzicato wonderfully. The fourth movement was punchy and invigorating, perfectly encapsulating the magic and power of live classical music, and eliciting lengthy applause from a captivated audience.

Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, 21 April 2012

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