Work: Introduction and Allegro for strings, Op.47

Two fascinating and hugely entertaining recent pieces started a superb concert by the strings of the Manchester Camerata, joined by Jess Gillam in Glazunov's Saxophone Concerto and the Brodsky Quartet in Elgar's Introduction and Allegro. Tchaikovsky crowned the concert.

Forget those po-faced tenors of yore; this is joyous music and Allan Clayton was just the man to deliver it.

Donald Runnicles conducted an imaginative chamber version of Strauss' testamentary Lieder, plus Elgar's own take on the concerto grosso form in his Introduction and Allegro.