Frei aber Froh-free but joyful; Brahms musical cipher, so potently woven in to first movement of Symphony No3, equates to the overwhelming spirit of Kirill Karabits’ magnificent symphonic cycle.

Following the powerfully built tensions of the Allegro the Andante’s clarinet theme was suffused with beauty of line, Karabits giving space for telling orchestral timbres; indeed the whole movement was totally beguiling.

Swaying dialogue between woodwinds and cellos set the third movement’s general tone of hushed serenity including a radiant horn call.

Emerging with latent power, the finale eventually releases a tutti of staggeringly impressive two-note sequences all driving this severely motovic movement to close in peaceful contentment.

Brahms’ richly melodic and harmonic symphonies were composed with audience enjoyment as principal point.

The Fourth espouses all before with fastidious craftsmanship and Karabits hard working, ever-responsive players were clearly inspired to maintain their brilliant performances in this panoply of iridescent sound.

An air of tranquillity surrounds the opening, lilting melody yet ultimately a developing storm brought a breathtaking peroration to the first movement.

Horns opened the Andante, its ebb and flow superbly controlled with many subtle and vibrant contrasts. Here Brahms gives us a real Scherzo; prismatically pressurised and explosively scattering its cheerful content throughout its short duration.

There’s an element of nostalgia in the finale which Karabits nuanced with exceptional clarity.

However, the theme from Bach’s Cantata No150 in a series of wildly ranging variations encapsulates many emotions of which apoplectic rage has the final shout!

From the unforced First to the frisson of the Fourth, Karabits can count himself among first-rate Brahmsians, and with BBC Radio 3 on hand with live broadcasts, a wide audience had something exceptional to shout about.