The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra perform at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall _320

IT WAS another of those occasions at the Philharmonic where the audience is treated to something new, something unusual – and certainly something challenging.

Jon Lord’s Durham Concerto is one of the favoured pieces on Classic FM’s present playlist, while Michael Nyman – he of The Piano and many other film scores – was also featured in the concert. Add to that James MacMillan’s Second Piano Concerto and this was certainly a performance to be remembered. The RLPO also evidently enjoyed themselves, conducted by Clark Rundell for the first half, with Mischa Damev conducting the Lord piece.

Nyman’s gdm for marimba and orchestra was receiving its UK premiere. Soloist Colin Currie certainly had his work cut out. The reduced wood- wind, sparse in places, seemed to have been used to add to the tonal colour – and to great eff- ect. In some ways, the heavy string orchestration rather swamped the marimba, yet the pairing of the solo instrument with pizzicato cello and bass, as well as legato super strings, worked well.

MacMillan’s concerto was very intense and experimental: the reels and new influences cros- sed well with new tech- niques. Soloist Joanna MacGregor was fully en- gaged with the orchestra, and obviously simply enjoyed the performance.

Lord’s Durham Concerto set off some beautiful melodies in all three parts of the piece, and all facets of the orchestra and organ were used to the full.