You might think nothing could go wrong opening a Prom with one of Mozart's most popular piano concertos, played by one of the world's most respected soloists.

But Richard Goode brought no obvious insights to K.488 in A major, no embellishments to the Adagio. Nor did Jiri Belohlavek offer any more than a chugging accompaniment.

Bruckner's Ninth fortunately drew something far more challenging from Belohlavek. A real sense of the work's massive scale and seriousness of purpose emerged from his steady, authoritative reading: the ritual solemnity of the first movement, the colossal convulsions of the Scherzo.

The BBC Symphony's execution may have been less than immaculate, but one or two stumbles scaling a rockface as craggy as this are forgiveable. The work's great paragraphs at least unfolded with impressive inevitability, even if some of the detail was questionable.

Above all, the sense of organic flow that makes or breaks a Bruckner performance was always discernible. The utterances of the Adagio - not intended to be the finale but a fitting conclusion - achieved a far more satisfying resolution.

Sandwiched between the Pittsburghers on Wednesday and the Berlin Philharmonic under Rattle tonight, the BBC Symphony under their new chief conductor acquitted themselves well enough.

Information: www. bbc.co.uk/proms