CBSO/Nelsons

Andris Nelsons's dynamic ­performances of Richard Strauss with the City of ­Birmingham Symphony Orchestra have been one of the strongest indicators of his exceptional gifts as a conductor. The latest Strauss score to get the ­Nelsons treatment is An Alpine Symphony, ­colossal in scale – for at least 125 players – yet intricate in detail. A CD recorded live from this concert will doubtless confirm, if not quite replicate, the thrill of hearing this orchestra in full musical flood. With Nelsons, it's never a case of throwing caution to the wind – even with a wind-machine in the ­percussion section to whip up the ­fearsome storm. Nelsons controls everything ­precisely. His instinct for sculpting the phrases with exactly the right ­emotional weight, while still driving the music forward is what holds your attention. Strauss's unconventional ­structure of 22 linked sections, vividly ­depicting the ascent and descent of an alpine ­setting, demands this sense of ­constant musical propulsion, but the moments of wonder – when the climber absorbs the beauty of nature which surrounds him – must also speak volumes. The rich expanse of sound in On the ­Summit was ­luxuriant; this was the CBSO on peak form, but the dark ­colours of night ­dissolving together had a ­quality of mystery, and ultimately realised ­something even more profound. The contrast with the Mozart of the first half was marked. The orchestra was scaled right down and the string tone ultra-refined. The Symphony No 33, K319 – setting up the B flat ­tonality which Strauss then exploited – was beautifully poised, while in the Piano Concerto in C minor, K491, Martin Helmchen was the fluent, if rather mannered, soloist. At Leeds Town Hall (0113-224 3801) tonight, and repeated at ­Birmingham Symphony Hall (0121-780 3333), on Tuesday.