Auckland Philharmonia at the Aotea Centre

By HEATH LEES

This programme seemed to have the usual classic shape of overture, concerto and symphony. But some special feature about each item turned the expected into the pleasantly surprising.

For a start, the overture was an unassuming, two-movement dance-based piece by Rodrigo. Somewhat too full of repetitions and sequences, the music nonetheless contained some intriguing sounds, especially in the deployment of muted strings, and the subtle use of solo players against the ensemble.

The concerto was different in that it was a rhapsody - the Paganini Rhapsody by Rachmaninov - and the pianist was the same Robert Thies who "saved" last week's concert by standing in for the stranded Pompa-Baldi.

Clearly a favourite already, Thies displayed formidable technique and precision-turned accuracy, with some enchanting colours and turns of phrase.

More disappointing was the orchestral contribution, whose clarity suffered from the strings' inability to play the four-semiquaver opening clearly. Nor could they muster enough breadth of tone to sweep us away in true Romantic fashion with the famous tune of the 18th variation.

Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique is an unusual symphony, with astonishing features of orchestration, harmony and shaping that make its creation date of three years after Beethoven difficult to believe.

The first movement didn't augur well, being dull and lacking in direction. Cranking up the tempo, conductor Nicholas Braithwaite brought his players into better harness - aided by two magically synchronised harps - during the waltz, while the third movement's continually delayed ending remained expressive to the last, fading second.

All the fireworks are in the last two movements, and you could see the musicians revving up in Berlioz' brilliant orchestration, the fateful tread of the Dies Irae (also a feature of the Rachmaninov rhapsody) and the headlong flight of the Witches' Sabbath, which finished with flamboyant timps and blazing brass.

The last triumphant word came from Alan Bradley of Royal SunAlliance, the orchestra's main sponsor. His announcement of another three years' sponsorship was a fitting finale to an outstanding series.