Sinfonia Cymru was intent on celebrating its 10th anniversary in some style - and justifiably so. This young ensemble has been very good news for music in Wales, its viability heped by Bryn Terfel's patronage. He was here tonight to help the orchestra's founder and conductor, Gareth Jones, complete Sinfonia Cymru's Beethoven cycle with the Choral Symphony. And his faith in them was handsomely repaid.

Their sound had a freshness and vibrancy that brought hope and optimism to the work's message, making it totally uplifting. More satisfying still was the sense of the radical Beethoven, with a strong bite to the quirks of accent and harmony. If there were moments that sagged slightly in the long span of the Adagio Molto, they were compensated for by the consistently good string sound, sweet but never cloying.

But it was in the finale that this performance came into its own, with Terfel's forthright and inspirational recitative providing the spark to ignite an unmitigated joy. Terfel's fellow soloists - Claire Rutter, Leah-Marian Jones and Gregory Turay - were also convincing. The cream of smaller Welsh mixed choirs (Caerdydd, Serendipity and the Sirenian Singers) combined with the Risca Male Choir to provide a magnificent chorus, resonantly ringing and unflinching in the top registers.

This concert had already reached Elysian heights in the first half with the Emperor Concerto, the culmination of Llyr Williams' cycle of Beethoven piano concertos with Sinfonia Cymru. There could not be a greater contrast between the burly but noble bearing of Terfel and the slight Williams, but musically Williams is proving to be a giant.

It is impossible to exaggerate the refinement or the power of his playing, exquisitely judged so as to embrace both Beethoven's intimacy and majesty - and, crucially, the transitions between the two. An altogether memorable evening.