Much-loved as the CBSO is in Birmingham and far beyond, it was disappointing to see Symphony Hall barely half-full for the annual Benevolent Fund concert - though good to greet so many retired members flooding back.
Never mind; those of us present enjoyed a traditional overture-concerto-symphony programme, played by a top-form orchestra (several substitutes in the squad) under an efficient, empowering, old-school conductor, and with one of the world's greatest pianists.
The overture was Glinka's Ruslan and Ludmilla, strings fizzing like jet-propelled champagne-fuelled fireworks under Alexander Vedernikov's authoritative baton. This flew by; it's almost the Russian equivalent of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro Overture, though nothing could quite match that.
Grieg's Piano Concerto suffers by its popularity and accessibility to soloists of the third and fourth order. Here instead we relished the remarkable Elisabeth Leonskaja, her steely, well-wrought pianism poised and taut, accents crisply turned, her chording judiciously weighted and balanced, and virtuosity never obtruding itself. This was a reading mixing gesture and intimacy, and what a success it was in this collaboration with Vedernikov's willing orchestra (flautist Marie-Christine Zupancic delivering evocative solos).
Encores are generally anathema to me, but in this instance Chopin's D-flat Nocturne was perfect, allowing us to hang onto Leonskaja's artistry just a little longer.
And so to the biggie, Tchaikovsky's searingly magnificent Fourth Symphony, certainly one of the greatest in the entire repertoire.
From the sonorous, doom-laden opening fanfare Vedernikov led us into a tight, compact account, violins electric, woodwind nicely etched (piccolo in particular), brass cutting, percussion almost telepathically incisive.
Vedernikov's control over dynamics was both impressive and expressive, and the teasing of detail into the overall flow was a remarkable feat from both conductor and orchestra.
