THE Guildhall Orchestra’s concert showed them once again to be an accomplished band, not afraid to tackle big, well-known works.

They began with Richard Strauss’s showpiece Don Juan. This was energetic and well coordinated from the start; Jane Wright spun long, seamless phrases in the oboe interlude, and the whole horn section revelled in Strauss’s famously idiomatic writing. The appropriately dejected ending left no doubt about Don Juan’s eventual come-uppance.

Jamie Walton joined the orchestra as soloist in Dvořák’s Cello Concerto. Conductor Simon Wright paced the first movement convincingly. Janus Wadsworth, principal horn, beautifully shaped Dvořák’s gorgeous second subject, and there was an exhilarating sense of collective achievement at its eventual B major reprise.

Interplay between soloist and orchestra was responsive throughout, although woodwinds could sometimes have been more sensitive in the slow movement. If the Finale occasionally wanted more forward momentum, its poignant ending was affecting. Walton displayed considerable artistry. His delicate pianissimo sings beautifully; my personal preference is for more body of cello tone in louder passages.

Elgar’s Enigma Variations ended the programme. After a nicely detailed theme, Wright brought out the humour of Variation 4, and the forthright energy of Variation 7, before a finely judged Nimrod, not too slow, broadened to a purposeful climax. Dorabella’s Variation 10 was affectionately done, Variation 11 was boisterous, the cellos were lovely in Variation 12, and Variation 13 was suitably atmospheric.

The final Variation never descended, as it can, into mere pomp: Wright kept it moving to an eloquent, uplifting ending.