With Valentine’s Day later this month, the BSO set the mood with last night’s concert, a romantic evening of Berlioz, Mozart and Strauss.

The concert opened with a lively flourish: Berlioz’s overture Le Corsaire, based on the composer’s first experience at sea and tales of a Venetian pirate.

There was a definite swashbuckling feel, heightened by dynamic contrasts in the orchestra. Strong brass chords – particularly from trombones and tuba – lent gravitas to an otherwise light-hearted voyage.

Pianist Imogen Cooper’s technical brilliance and lyricism shone in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.25.

This work contains some of Mozart’s most demanding writing for piano, and Cooper tackled it effortlessly, showing exceptionally nimble finger-work and great musicality. The slow movement was a joy, with gorgeous solos in the woodwind and rich strings.

It was a slight shame that the piano overpowered the orchestra during tutti sections, but this proves the need for a new, more sensitive, instrument. Yet the thunderous audience applause was certainly well-deserved.

More Berlioz followed, with the Love Scene from ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

This was not the standard balcony scene music, but rather a tempestuous, passionate, ultimately tragic piece, foreshadowing the fate of the doomed young lovers.

There were moments of great drama from the orchestra, and expressive string playing throughout, notably in the cello section.

Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier Suite was – without doubt – the highlight of the evening. The music was highly cinematic, with sweeping strings and horn fanfares, and the orchestra excelled.

Leader Mark Derudder’s solo was beautifully played, as was cellist Jesper Svedberg’s solo.

The comic waltz depicting the villain of the opera (Baron Ochs) was performed with great panache and had a wonderfully drunken feel to it, finishing the concert on a raucous note, especially from the percussion.

It was met with cheers and hearty applause from a very appreciative audience.

By Megan Fisher