Scotland as viewed by outsiders, but instantly recognisable from the sounds, took up the first half.

The humour and ingenuity of Sassenach composer Malcolm Arnold was exuberantly caught. His concert overture Tam O'Shanter depicted the adventures of Robbie Burns' hero in tumultuous tones, from which a reel emerged to delightful effect.

Carrying on where Mendelssohn left off, German romantic Max Bruch created a Scottish Fantasy that is part concerto, part suite. Native melodies included Robin Morris, Dusty Miller and Scots Wha Hae. This touchstone of a violinist's application and resource saw guest soloist Jane Gordon in commanding form.

The Nottingham Symphony gets better and better under Derek Williams' direction. Elgar's First Symphony was both a triumph of accomplished ensemble work and a markedly individual reading. The scherzo sounded closer to Mahler than usual, the adagio closer to Bruckner.