Even the best-known composers sometimes need a bit of championing, and Stravinsky is no exception. Despite his vast output, the same handful of familiar works crop up on concert programmes, while countless others languish in publishers' catalogues. In the case of his arrangement of Bach's Chorale Variations on Von Himmel Hoch, the neglect is astonishing. Light years away from contemporary 1950s Bach transcriptions, many of which are clumsily over-enthusiastic, Stravinsky's is an exquisite, delicately scored miniature, with a fair amount of new material grafted on. Perhaps most striking are his additional vocal lines, which, at the Bridgewater Hall, were sung by the BBC Singers and beautifully blended with the instrumental parts, conspicuously avoiding a firmer choral texture.

In both Von Himmel Hoch and Bach's Magnificat, Gianandrea Noseda was a sensitive judge of balance and phrasing, taking immense care over some of the fuller textures in the Magnificat. The relatively large size of the orchestra might have proved a problem had it not been for some bold decisions on Noseda's part, such as the trumpet's glorious prominence over the wind in the chorus. But Bach had ensured that even the largest forces would not swamp this work, scoring some movements for continuo only, and some with obbligato parts gracefully woven around the vocal solos. Lynne Dawson's soprano aria had the relaxed, warm intimacy that comes with familiarity; countertenor Robin Blaze's finely crafted phrasing and rich musicality were equally distinguished.

Another Stravinsky revival long overdue was a performance of the complete score of The Firebird. Although the more familiar suite does include most of the best numbers, there is some stunning music few have ever heard: Kashchei's Death and Profound Darkness and the Magic Carillon were the most striking examples, with surely the weirdest sonorities and the most violent cacophony the young Stravinsky had by then discovered. Though the unrelenting sultriness of the ballet's first half flagged a little, this was an electrifying performance.