The clatter of hansom cabs, the cry of a lavender seller, Big Ben’s chimes muffled by the enveloping fog of a London pea-souper.

Yes it’s Merrie Olde England made into a sort of musical theme park in John Ireland’s A London Overture and Vaughan Williams’ A London Symphony.

Heavy on nostalgia, light on musical substance – that’s the case for the prosecution.

The conductor John Wilson is an articulate advocate for the defence.

He’s not an apologist for British music, he celebrates it.

Ireland’s light work was despatched with suitable vigour and dash.

The material of Vaughan Williams’ first movement is pretty banal but Wilson’s crisp pacing meant that it didn’t drag and if its final brassy flourish is a little vulgar so what – get over it.

The twilit slow movement was serene and haunting, illuminated by Christopher Yates’ viola playing. 

I thoroughly enjoyed it – a slightly guilty pleasure like watching Downton Abbey while dipping digestives into tea.

If the symphony was a little paunchy, even after the composer trimmed it, then Walton’s cello concerto is lean and lithe without an excess note.

There’s not even a flashy cadenza but the two solo episodes in the final variation movement give the cellist the spotlight and Paul Watkins seized the opportunity.

Throughout he was fast and fluent with a full but not over-rich tone, just right for Walton’s musical sweet-and-sour mixture.

Wilson was attentive to details such as the magical touch Walton brings with just few judicious dabs of the tinkling celesta.