THE BSO began their second concert of the new season with Walton's curious second symphony as part of an exploration of his less well known works.

Led by principal conductor Kirill Karabits, the ensemble delivered a dynamically controlled performance in which the brass sounded in particularly good voice.

The piece itself is not commonly played, as it is considered less accessible and dramatic than the composer's earlier symphony and indeed much of the rest of his work.

It involves an unusual instrumentation at times, providing an ideal opportunity to show off the BSO's versatility.

With a long history of association with British composers of the 20th century, it is good to see the orchestra performing these less well known works.

Flown in from Skopje to fill in at short notice, pianist Simon Trpceski gave no indication of being flustered as he took to the stage for a performance of Rachmaninov's virtuoso Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini.

It was a witty, winning performance of a well known piece, with much liveliness in the strings, and each variation delivered with its own twist.

Trpceski was very well received with a vocal show of appreciation from the audience at the recently refurbished Lighthouse.

As an encore he performed Vocalise by the same composer, calling on the talents of the orchestra's lead cellist Jesper Svedberg.

It was the most enjoyable and best received of the encores I have seen at the BSO, with even the performers spellbound and set out like a still life. There was a reluctance to break the mood with applause but much followed.

The concert ended with a rousing performance of Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien, full of Roman flair and fun.

Again the orchestra's brass section sounded particularly warm and rich, and Karabits masterfully led the piece to its energetic conclusion.