Work: Variaciones concertantes, Op.23

The Berlin Philharmonic, reunited with its former chief conductor Sir Simon Rattle, framed Britten’s Serenade, commandingly sung by tenor Andrew Staples, with two complementary sets of orchestral variations.

One of those performances when the sheer physical beauty of the instruments and the sounds they were making became the organic nature of the music itself.

Jennifer Johnston shone in Respighi's glorious Il tramonto and the RLPO showed off their solo skills in Ginastera's Variaciones concertantes.