An impressive concert showcasing the BSO’s wind sections, essentially in large scale chamber music, in the first half and broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments made an intriguing aural impact. Frank Braley the piano soloist coped with the evident difficulties with aplomb though reading from the score-few pianists are likely to have this one in their repertoire-skilfully negotiating all three movements. Kirill Karabits gave impetus to the myriad sources of the composer’s inspiration. Braley’s brilliant encore was more Stravinsky; his Ragtime for piano.

Karabits’ attention to detail informed the exacting requirements of Stravinsky’s Octet including the early form of serialism in the central variations.

Rather more graceful in outline, Richard Strauss’s Serenade for 13 Wind Instruments in which the mellow combination of various winds became more colourful in tutti, the four horns and two clarinets surfacing nicely.

The works here were bound by musical argument, Beethoven’s Symphony No5 being an icon. Karabits’ opening gambit was rather heavy on the diminuendos though finely paced. If this movement was not entirely flawless the electricity was building, tempered by the beauty of the Andante. The Allegro-not too dark-packed in the momentum in the flying fugues and the lead-in to the finale woven with Karabits’ fashion for finesse. Here the dynamo of distinction wound the rhythmic pulse to a thrilling conclusion.