“I don’t know anything about classical music,” I recently heard someone explain on a radio chat show, “but I really got into it during Covid – and it’s great!”

I agree. I don’t know the difference between A Flat Major and a round lieutenant. It doesn’t matter. As the BSO with Kirill Karabits proved on Wednesday at Lighthouse, Poole, it is the joy, the excitement and the community of listeners that matter. This orchestra, whose better you really will not hear anywhere, has the ability to take you out of yourself, to bring you drama, fun, tranquility and, put simply, reassurance that there are still good things to cherish in the world.

Good things such as Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, played with rare style by top international soloist Fedor Rudin. His playing emphasised the classical fluency of the music, especially in the uplifting conclusion. The slow movement offered much more repose and reflection, but it was the splendid ending that lives in the memory. Mr Rudin’s fireworks encore was the brilliant Caprice No 24 by Paganini. One of the most difficult pieces ever written was dashed off in very fine style.

“As the BSO with Kirill Karabits proved on Wednesday at Lighthouse, Poole, it is the joy, the excitement and the community of listeners that matter”

Both before this and after the interval we heard music by Bartók. His music may have an undeserved reputation for being difficult but, as expected, his Romanian Folk Dances for strings made a great opener. Lots of tunes and a real sense of something a bit exotic. The lovely BSO string tone was also adapted very well to creating a credibly folky style.

After the Beethoven, Bartók’s four-movement Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta explored some delightfully unexpected sounds. The opening could have accompanied a sinister movie, while the second section offered a whirlwind of action sequences. The Adagio third movement entered a lost world where any surprise seemed possible, and the concluding music challenged the talented and versatile players of the BSO to use their instruments in apparently unconventional ways to make music quite unlike anything else heard so far. Not difficult music at all, and certainly a highly rewarding listen – and fascinating to watch.

It is not what you know but what you feel that matters, I would argue. Or, more precisely, how you are led to feel by these multi-talented and untiring musicians.

If you missed this concert you can catch up here until 11 November. To see what else we have coming up click here.