The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, whose first concert ever was conducted by Edward Elgar, is gearing itself for a major contribution to the composer's 150th anniversary weekend next month. But the celebrations are already well under way, and this performance of his violin concerto will surely count as one of the most significant.

Soloist Daniel Hope was a protege of Yehudi Menuhin, whose historic recording of the concerto with Elgar himself was made 75 years ago. If these circumstances conspired to put acute pressure on Hope, he bore it well, bringing a wonderful depth of tone and nobility to the work.

This concerto is most revealing of the composer's complex character, his melancholy as well as his deeply romantic heart. Hope's interpretation had a profound intensity of feeling that also honoured Elgar's affinity for the violin, perhaps his most longstanding love affair.

Hope's commitment was matched by that of conductor Sakari Oramo, who elicited a silken sound from the CBSO strings, and their common purpose was stirringly realised in the allegro molto finale. After its mercurial opening, they underlined the symphonic nature of Elgar's concept, which culminated in the extraordinary soul-searching of the accompanied cadenza and brought a redemptive quality to its resolution.

Wagner's Tannhäuser overture and Brahms' Second Symphony aptly flanked the concerto, given that Elgar's harmonic language relates closely to these two composers. Elspeth Dutch's horn solos in the Brahms were all beautifully judged, but Oramo inspired all his CBSO musicians to play with fluency, grace and often considerable passion. This was an occasion when conductor and orchestra alike were clearly in their element.