Central to this concert by the ESO, conducted by William Boughton, was a performance of Chopin's Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, with the young Finnish pianist Antti Siirala as soloist.

Antti's assured technical prowess was matched with beauty of tone and a thoughtfully considered reading.

Nimble finger-work, power in playing left-hand octaves and scintillating decorated chromatics were impressive. The Romanza showed mature insight.

Subdued strings and bassoons, particularly, interacted with the soloist in stunning rises and falls of expression. Antii's discreet use of the sustaining pedal and his ability to switch his tonal range from a powerful fortissimo to a delicate pianissimo within a few bars, combined with aesthetic orchestral strings, manifested in an elegant and poetical execution.

Snappy string episodes set against whimsical piano responses were a delight in the Rondo and again the woodwind section was noteworthy.

The pianist never overdid rubatos or tenutos and his accuracy at high speed was admirable, in what was a most persuasive youthful interpretation of a young composer's composition.

Schumann's Symphony No.3 in E flat major Op.97 'Rhenish' made its second appearance this season and again the orchestra, brass stunning, climaxed through the majestic Feierlich to grandiose heights.

Mendelssohn's Fingal's Cave, and Elgar's Serenade for Strings, Op.20 were each sensitive and atmospheric, the former with gorgeous swells of sound, melodious cellos and double-basses, the latter with a glorious surge of Elgarian string colour, violas and cellos brought to the fore.

ESO will perform A Christmas Cracker tomorrow (December 20) and Messiah by Candlelight on December 23, to conclude 2003 with seasonal music.

Jill Hopkins