The Berlin Philharmonic delivered an outstanding performance under chief conductor Kirill Petrenko at the Royal Albert Hall, pairing Elgar's Enigma Variations with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 4 in the first of two Proms appearances. The reviewer suggests the orchestra may be the best in the world, praising the freshness and emotional depth brought to Elgar's portraits of friends and family, unusual repertoire choices for a German orchestra, and highlighting the thematic link between the two works through their autobiographical roots.

The Elgar impressed with sumptuous string tone from the opening bars, ranging from delicate cello solos to the full force of the hall's organ in the finale, with a standout moment in the timpani rolls evoking a sea voyage. The Tchaikovsky showcased the orchestra's powerful brass in the Fate theme and Petrenko's skill in shaping long musical lines, with the plucked-string third movement offering light relief before Fate returned dramatically in the finale. The concert is available on BBC Sounds until 12 October, with the Proms season continuing until 12 September.