THE ESO, under its conductor William Boughton, was in outstandingly good form last Friday evening.

Mozart's Symphony No. 32 in G: K318 (Overture in the Italian Style), composed in one extended movement, began in perfect unison, proceeding to a combination of lively strings and vibrant brass. The middle section employed many varying dynamics within the beautiful slow phrases.

Pursuing this season's theme of Schubert and Beethoven, Schubert's Symphony No. 4 in C minor: D417: (Tragic) followed. The pensive introduction of drooping minor figures, soon led to a punctuation of full orchestral chords and a melodic Allegro of Schubertian beauty. The composer's inventiveness was clearly shown in the fabulous harmony of the Andante, combined with added colour of the wood-wind section - particularly the flute. The final Allegro, with fanfares and emphatic bass notes form the brass, concluded a fine performance.

For Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major: Opus 19, Charles Owen joined the ESO as soloist. After a lengthy orchestral preface, the piano was first heard in short bursts, before developing in to a more lyrical mood, and on to the first movement Cadenza - played with considerable technical agility. Beethoven's wondrous harmony of spiritual dimension which we heard in the Adagio, preceded the composer's jocular style of the third movement rondo, when jokey rhythms and sudden pauses were tossed between soloist and orchestra.

In Symphony No. 94 in G (Surprise), the orchestra danced through the Vivace assai, with brilliance, on to the well-known C major tune and its variations, to the very fast and tuneful Finale and a last well-controlled crescendo, showing the full orchestra to be totally responsive to their conductor - as it had been throughout the concert.

JILL HOPKINS