BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, James Ehnes

The first four notes of Beethoven’s Fifth are so pivotal that critic Matthew Guerrieri recently wrote an entire book about them. They herald the start of one of the greatest symphonies ever written, directed here by exceptional young conductor Nicholas Collon.

Along with Sibelius’s Six Humoresques, starring Canadian violinist James Ehnes, two brilliant works by Stravinsky show the orchestra’s different characters: Apollo, a subtly refined ballet scored for strings alone, and the punchier Symphonies of Wind Instruments.