Although Stravinsky once waspishly referred to its "Battle-of-Britten sentiment", few would now deny that Britten's War Requiem is the choral work of the 20th century.

It's a masterpiece of structural innovation (the integration of secular poetry with a Latin liturgical text, a device since emulated by many composers) and great emotional power.

Friday's performance was everything it should be.

From the magically poised and immaculately chorded "Requiem aeternam" of the opening (music which reappears like a leitmotif and closes this remarkable work so hauntingly) to the final ecstatic "In paradisum", we heard choral singing of the highest order, dramatically moving and often, as in the "Dies Irae", shattering in its effect.

For conductor Adrian Lucas, unflustered and in masterly control of large and diverse musical forces, it was a personal triumph. Brilliantly virtuosic and totally committed, as they have been throughout the festival, the CBSO gave a superb account of Britten's colourful score, especially in the chamber ensemble support for the tenor and baritone soloists.

John Mark Ainsley, totally clear and free of vocal mannerisms, and James Rutherford, effulgent and warmly expressive, delivered Wilfred Owen's poetic warnings with such touching poignancy, while soprano Elena Prokina sounded like a clarion-voiced angel from on high.

At the end Lucas held everyone in thirty seconds of silence before allowing the applause, almost reluctantly it seemed, to start.

It was a perfectly judged moment.

David Hart