OAE/Jurowski

After a slow start, the classical music year is back to top speed. Daniel Barenboim has ­arrived with the Berlin Staatskapelle and the New York Phil, armed with their ­secret weapon, is hot on their tail. Not the best ­moment, perhaps, for a local period-instrument orchestra whose name only the most devoted of its devotees bother to ­pronounce in full to begin yet another Beethoven symphony cycle. But on the strength of the opening concert under Vladimir ­Jurowski, I can safely say that far from being "just another" Beethoven cycle, this series will prove to be unmissable. The Orchestra of the Age of ­Enlightenment can give the ­impression of not needing their conductor. Most of their repertoire predates the ­existence of ­virtuoso professional ­conductors, but Jurowski's micro-conducting – shaping every phrase, jumping on every lead – ­suits them nicely. Beginning with the Fourth Symphony, stretching the slow introduction to near breaking point, they pounced on the allegro vivace with a ­brazen diversity of tone. From the long melodies, perfectly shaped by the strings despite the absence of vibrato, to the fleet cross rhythms and ­stabbing motions of the third movement, the audience had ­to hold on to their seats. The Seventh Symphony, which ­followed, was no different. A ­triumphant character is, of course, built into this piece, with its ­mishmash of military and peasant styles. But even here the orchestra found shapes and sounds that, together with the ­immaculate ensemble and a sense of dynamism not far short of ­inflammatory, restored to this well-loved work the raw effervescence that protracted bouts of Karajanitis led many to assume had died long ago. But no: it is very much alive and kicking.