A full house eager to celebrate the 70th birthday of one of the BSO’s most popular and consistent long-time soloists; John Lill rewarded us with an absorbingly mature account of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No2.

The blossoming eight piano chords melded into the rich string textures under the baton of Stefan Solyom with the second subject’s lyrical style enclosing Lill’s powerfully wrought cadenza.

Heart-on-sleeve romance fills the Adagio with beautiful clarinet accompaniment, its character only disturbed in the central upbeat trio. The immediacy of the finale brought to the fore Lill’s compelling bravura, ranging through episodes of blissful geniality and blazing bravura, all despatched with the touch of a master.

Solyom’s Sibelius One had a particular crystal clarity; proceeding from Kevin Bank’s haunting clarinet solo and contrasting the brass fortes, string pianissimos, evocative winds and full-toned tuttis he ranged through the tempo-driven excursions of this wonderful symphony with a finely tuned ear for orchestral sonorities.

Eluned Pierce’s harp was prominent in the outer sections of the convincingly contrasted second movement as was the relatively restful trio in the Scherzo’s impressively propelled rhythms. An ominous opening to the finale’s running, fully-wound tensions were set aside with episodes in glorious melodic harmony culminating in two soft chords.

Concert support by the Arts University Bournemouth was suitably acknowledged with a meticulous reading of Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture.