Extraordinary to discover that the three works in Sunday afternoon’s SSO concert were written within eleven years of each other, yet are undeniable masterpieces of the late romantic orchestral repertoire. They are all ‘big’ pieces and require a special sort of stamina of the performers.

Elgar’s Cockaigne is much more than a ‘curtain-raiser’ overture; it’s a full orchestral work-out and has such a kaleidoscopic range of effects and colour waiting on the page to be revealed in performance. The SSO clearly revelled in the opportunities this provides; it was a reading full of character, life and a bustling urgency that kept the audience engaged and thrilled by the quality of sound sweeping from the stage in a near capacity STAG theatre.

In these days of world rankings for everything the Dvorak must top the cello concerto list. It’s such a good piece for soloist, orchestra and audience. Integrating all three elements is what makes for a good performance. Russian Soloist Luibov Ulybysheva brought breathtaking finger-dexterity and pin-point intonation with Slavic passion. The orchestra, that has so much dialogue with and across the soloist, were impeccable, with beautifully phrased and articulated melodic playing from wind, horns and strings. Darrell Davison and the orchestra coped admirably with the soloist’s individual approach to rhythm and some frankly capricious tempo moments. Thanks to the conductor’s skill and orchestral vigilance only once did this member of the audience feel truly uncomfortable. But that’s what’s so exciting about live music – its never going to be the same or as boring as the CD on the shelf.

Rachmaninoff’s 2^nd symphony, as David Floyd’s admirably full and lucid programme notes reminded us, used to be mercilessly cut; I well remember as a student the stir the LSO’s uncut version created. Some of the SSO might have been thinking wistfully of those days – it had been a long morning rehearsal and a busy first half. There were brief moments from all sections where ensemble was not up to the impeccable standard we’ve come to expect from the SSO in recent years, but these were tiny blemishes on the surface of a sweeping luxuriant shape full of depth, warmth, technical brilliance and intense emotion. The audience thoroughly enjoyed the familiar long-breathed melodies and the rich, well-balanced underpinnings and countermelodies performed with real musical understanding. Do the audience realise what good value they get – I hope they do - Fortnum and Mason quality at Lidl prices.