The London Philharmonic's season of four concerts at the Dome opened auspiciously with a programme of 20th Century Russian music with their chief conductor, Vladamir Jurowski, in charge.

The orchestra was in fine fettle and firing on all cylinders.

Rachmaninoff's Isle of the Dead made for a sombre start. The same forces had played it here a few years ago but it was worth hearing again. Jurowski clarified the thick textures while maintaining the requisite richness and depth from the bass instruments, a memorable performance.

Prokofiev's 1st Violin Concerto provided a delicate contrast with its lucid scoring and finely spun melodies. The young Elena Taski coped effortlessly with the fiendish solo part and she was superbly accompanied, but her tone lacked the ethereal quality for this haunting music.

After the interval it was back to Rachmaninoff for his Symphonic Dances, a late work which is difficult to bring off. However, Jurowski perfectly caught its grimly elegiac character and the last five minutes were an exciting climax to the evening.

Deserved applause at the end for all sections of the LPO, but the woodwind principals must be singled out for some ravishing solos.

This will be a hard act to follow in the succeeding concerts.