Auckland Philharmonia at Auckland Town Hall

The Auckland Philharmonia's Nordic Night set off in full Scandinavian splendour.

Swiss conductor Mischa Santora ensured that the opening brass chords of Sibelius' Finlandia were full-voiced and appropriately portentous, an inspiration for all the players, who sustained the work to a thrilling climax.

The Grieg Piano Concerto is one of those supposed warhorses that, in fact, is not so often featured on concert programmes. It is certainly unusual to hear it twice in this season (Pascal Roge and the NZSO also scheduled it in June).

Piers Lane was the soloist and his is a much more secure performance than the sometimes jittery Roge. The Australian underplayed where some might indulge in rubato and only occasionally, in the third movement, were there flashes of the perfunctory. However, the poetry of his preceding Adagio was more than adequate atonement.

Santora added his own poetic touches, too, particularly in the wistful passage just after the first movement cadenza, or in the more idyllic visions of the Finale.

Lane's encore was a soulful account of Chopin's C sharp minor Nocturne. Rarely, to twist a phrase by Cole Porter, are changes from minor to major so affecting.

After interval we were in curiosity corner. Stravinsky's Four Norwegian Moods are a footnote in the Russian composer's career, a film venture that didn't even make it to the moviola. Other composers pass through these short pieces, perhaps even Korngold in the first, along with memories of Petrouchka and The Soldier's Tale.

Santora and his players nailed the shifting styles with precision and elan, right through to bubbling Baroquerie of the final piece.

Nielsen's Aladdin Suite is unexpectedly light fare from the often stern Danish symphonist, but it was taken very seriously, right from the opening Festival March.

Aladdin is an uneven work, at its least engaging in the Chinese Dance, but, a few minutes later, The Market Place in Ispahan proved to be a right Ivesian musical bazaar which the musicians heartily relished.