Work: Variations on a Theme by Haydn in B flat major, Op.56a

Peter Whelan drew rare urgency and transparency from Brahms, while Carlos Ferreira’s lyrical finesse elevated Weber beyond expectation.

Alena Baeva impresses in her belated Philharmonia debut, playing Max Bruch’s evergreen First Violin Concerto. 

At the Seoul Arts Center, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra achieves a luminous balance of historically informed insight and modern orchestral splendour, delivering performances that feel at once deeply rooted and thrillingly alive.