Bath Philharmonia Bath Abbey

The opening prelude to Richard Strauss' Capriccio for String Sextet is a jaunty little piece, gently lilting one moment and staccato con brio the next, as the instruments pursue their intimate dialogue, chameleon-like as the colours and rhythms subtly change.

It was an ideal introduction, setting us up expectantly for the Britten Serenade.

I have to confess to a passion for Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn and strings, ever since I heard it performed, long ago by Peter Piers and Dennis Brain.

It has a wonderful fusion of words and music, expressed in the contrast between elegy and joy which was beautifully explored by James Gilchrist and Richard Wainwright.

Gilchrist's ability – singing without a score – to communicate the emotional range and the drama of the piece brought it alive in every nuance, the phrasing beautifully shaped, and the high register flawless in its ringing clarity and wistful yearning.

Wainwright's crisp, crunchy horn was the ideal partner, moving easily alongside the solo voice.

The strings were in great form, providing an immaculate platform for the soloists and Jason Thornton's intuitive feel for the shape and intensity for the work gave us a performance of consummate artistry which glowed with poignant warmth.

I could happily have gone home at half time entirely satisfied.

It would have helped, though, if the words had been printed in the programme, clear as Gilchrist's diction was.

The final horn call from the far end of the abbey was quite magical.

But I'm glad I didn't leave at half time because the Adagio from Mahler's 10th Symphony shows us the composer in an unwontedly quiet mood.

We are used to the grand scale of his writing and this slow movement has a peaceful tranquillity totally unlike the bigger works for which he is better known.

This was almost mini-Mahler, scored just for strings, without the serried ranks of singers, brass and percussion.

It had a quietude which Jason Thornton, who clearly has a strong affinity with Mahler, evoked with poise and assurance.

This performance found the mood and the seriousness of the work and Mahler's sometimes heartfelt soul-searching as he wrestled with his own inner struggle.

The string playing was sumptuous, especially the solo viola, showing us again how this orchestra has developed into a first-class ensemble, able to take on a wide repertory with confidence and self belief.

Peter Lloyd Williams