ALL-BEETHOVEN concerts have long been a feature of programmes dreamt up by music promoters.

Henry Wood was keen on at least one such an event at the Proms and others, up and down the country, followed suit. It’s not difficult to see why.

There’s such a range of emotions, of musical complexity, of – at times – sheer joie de vivre that just one concert is hard to programme, given the number of ground-breaking items which could be included.

Last night’s offering from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra was no exception. The dramatically punchy Overture: Prometheus, the perhaps rather understated Fourth Piano Concerto and the ever popular – but, again, ground-breaking – ‘Pastoral’ Symphony.

The soloist in the Concerto, Nikolai Lugansky, making his first appearance with the RLPO, was a master of understatement. From the poised, chordal opening, his spectacular technique never failed to dazzle: those chromatic scales up and down the keyboard were masterful.

The development section of the first movement was beautifully questioning, almost poignant in places, but that soon dissolved into a frantic, blazing cadenza – a brilliant conclusion to a dramatic opening movement.