…Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 6 with the Pathetique sombre opening (yes, the Philharmonia can do this too) showed the orchestra’s melodic heart was on its sleeve and with fluid, energetic conducting – sometimes just a shrug of the shoulders – there was an exciting build-up to the third movement’s march with string strength and bright brass inducing premature applause. But this happiness returned to the darker mood as they wrung out the emotion and one could sense them breathing the music’s pain…