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CBSO, Symphony Hall

May 16 2008 By Paul Fulford

RACHMANINOV'S Symphonic Dances, the composer's last major work before his death in 1943, is an emotionally charged work.

Here, performed with intelligence and power under the baton of Martyn Brabbins, it fully engaged the senses.

There was longing, passion, frivolity, excitement and foreboding contained within its three deeply coloured and taut movements.

What a contrast to the work that preceded it, the world premiere of Simon Holt's percussion concerto called -inevitably written with no capital letters - a table of noises.

This shrill piece, drawing on memories of the composer's taxidermist great-uncle, lacked emotionality and cohesion, though it provided an excellent platform from which the talented soloist Colin Currie could demonstrate his dexterity on a bewildering battery of percussive devices.

The creatures stuffed by Great-Uncle Ash got off lightly - they could have been forced to listen to this work.

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