THE overture to Rossini's William Tell, being rather more popular than the six hour opera itself, made for a spirited and lively opening to the Misbourne's most recent concert.

The well-known final section, depicting the triumphant return of the Swiss army to its homeland after the Austrian invasion (one imagines the soldiers being armed with complicated penknives) tends to eclipse the pastoral grace of the remainder of the piece which is, in effect, a miniature tone-poem, so it's always pleasing to be reminded of the elegant integrity of the whole.

This was followed by a superb performance of Mozart's Flute Concerto No2 in D Major, its status as an artfully rehashed oboe concerto in no way diminishing its variety and balance. Soloist Anna Stokes brought a perfect mixture of clarity and warmth to the piece in an astute and positive performance.

The second half was devoted to Symphony No5 in D Major by Vaughan Williams, an uplifting, thematically rich work which had provided new insights into the composer's thinking when it was premiered in 1943.

Conductor Richard Jacklin's expert attention to detail ensured that the Orchestra conveyed the symphony's contrasts and subtle internal relationships with an impressive assurance that bodes well for the Orchestra's next concert on April 5, which will feature works by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and local composer Nils Greenhow.