With a popular programme slotting easily into the European Culture theme of the King's Lynn Festival, Thursday's opening concert by the English Chamber Orchestra, at the Corn Exchange, sponsored by power group TXU, was very positively directed from the leader's chair by Stephanie Gonley.

By MICHAEL DRAKE

With a popular programme slotting easily into the European Culture theme of the King's Lynn Festival, Thursday's opening concert by the English Chamber Orchestra, at the Corn Exchange, sponsored by power group TXU, was very positively directed from the leader's chair by Stephanie Gonley.

In truth after delicately stepping though the opening Allegro in Haydn's Symphony No 83 and the second violins and violas with riveting intensity in the following Andante, they practically overran themselves in the final Vivace of extreme pace.

One of Mozart's most popular symphonies – No 40 in G minor – suffered a little too with an overweight stateliness in the second movement and very deliberate pointing in the Minuet. Countering this though was a delightfully gracious Trio and splendid woodwind interjections in the finale.

Sandwiched between the two symphonies was the most satisfying part of the programme, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 2 with former BBC Young Musician of the Year Leon McCawley opening with a lovely lilt, progressing to thoughtful joviality and a cadenza of extreme clarity.

After a quite emotional Adagio came a joyous finale in which the soloist was obviously out to enjoy himself also in dialogue with the ECO which by now were warm and precise in their accompaniment.