However, though a lifelong Tchaikovsky devotee, I’d somehow never heard the Variations so the work I *had* heard was the Shostakovich. I thought Blunier and the SSO read it brilliantly. Even my sister to whom it was entirely new was impressed by the SSO’s mastery. Guest Leader David Greed’s fine solos deserve a mention, too.

The Wallace work was very lovely, and the Lyadov Folk Songs were utterly charming. But Wispelwey being backed by the SSO on top form – that’s a memory which went straight into the “Treasured” file.

I respect your opinions on so many subjects that it pains me to take issue with you, but to dismiss the cheery and ebullient First Symphony of Shostakovitch as ‘cacophony’ is grossly unfair. Is there any other artform where works created almost a century ago still cause such adverse reactions? After all, even Picasso can pack ’em in nowadays!