Drumming up a crowd for anything on Valentine’s Day is always going to prove tricky.

Unfortunately the first evening concert of the inaugural York Chamber Music Festival proved no exception to the rule, the Lyons suffering from unpopulated patches.

Thsi was somewhat frustrating considering the series is offering experiences like this one.

Undeterred by the turnout, Jennifer Pike and Martin Roscoe hit the ground running with an account of Mozart’s G-major sonata that proved urgent yet never rushed, the closing dance dispatched with waltzing finesse.

Their effortless traversal of styles proved impressive, both players slipping with ease into the murkier world of Janácek’s sonata.

Pike showcased an admirable depth of tone and thought: impassioned episodes soared with a profound intensity, furious outbursts were released with waspish brevity.

Kreisler’s warmly nuanced Liebesleid made a surprise appearance, its charismatic sibling Praeludium and Allegro rehoused as a compelling and imaginatively rendered encore.

Dvorák’s Four Romantic Pieces opened the floodgates for unabashed romanticism, the duo taking a running leap at the extremities of expression that each movement demands.

It paved the way for a refreshingly brisk approach to Vaughan Williams’ much-loved The Lark Ascending, sentimental wallowing appropriately substituted for flitting and swooping.

A folk-inspired rarity from Ben-Hur composer Miklós Rózsa rounded the programme with a blaze of pyrotechnics, further cementing Pike – only 24 – as an artist of mature yet undeniably stylish interpretive flair, often subtle yet never short of panache. It’s just a pity that more weren’t there to witness it.

- Richard Powell