LAST night's concert opened with a sensitive account of Faur's musical suite, Pelleas et Melisande.

From the off, the playing was magnetically seductive and the balance spot on, for example in the woodwind commentaries against the sweeping spinning wheel upper string continuum in the second movement La Fileuse.

The performance never lapsed into the sentimental, however, as in the Sicilienne where a lively tempo and beautifully cool playing kept it out of the comfort zone.

The Ravel G major Piano Concerto was sensational. Following the opening orchestral whip-crack, we were projected into the composer's quirky world of eclectic fun with echoes of Stravinsky, Gershwin blues and magical musical windows. Soloist Pascal Roge displayed dazzling mastery and crisp playing of the spirited Presto finale and the perfectly judged sustained lyricism of the second movement Adagio.

The second half belonged to Elgar who, I was reliably informed, had died 71 years ago to the day - now that's serious forward programming - and his great Symphony no 1.

This is a seriously well-crafted piece of music and in conductor Vernon Handley it had a worthy interpreter. The first movement's sense of gravitas, giving way to a bristling Allegro full of persuasive orchestral mastery, was prosecuted with authority and intent. Indeed it was the immaculate judgement of argument, of pace, not to mention the wholly committed response from the players that made this performance so rewarding.

Updated: 08:58 Thursday, February 24, 2005