Last night’s prom by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Jiri Belohlavek began the sequence of Stravinsky ballets that are one of the threads of this season’s programmes. Their Petrushka was accurate and solos well taken. Exotic and grotesque aspects of the story fared best, with frenetic commotion for the murderous antics of the final tableau. If some of what preceded it seemed laboured and mechanical, it could be argued, I suppose, that this is a world of puppets. 

The first half — music by Smetana, Bartok and Martinu — cohered on account of its Central European flavour. But movement turned out to be as crucial to this non-ballet repertoire, and paradoxically all three works had more rhythmic lift than the Stravinsky.  

Smetana’s Bartered Bride Overture emerged as a less trite piece than usual, thanks to Belohlavek’s expert handling. Not only did he keep the rhythms taut but he cleverly suppressed the excitement, channelling the bubbling semiquavers, until it could be contained no longer.

That folkish exuberance was carried over into Bartok’s Dance Suite, the individual movements projected with wild energy but also firm rhythmic control.

Martinu’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra picked up on another theme of this year’s Proms, that of multiple pianos, while playing to Belohlavek’s strengths as a compatriot of the Czech composer. Martinu’s own brand of rhythmic vitality was touched by jazz, and the syncopations of the fast outer movements were snappily executed.

Unlike the Labeque Sisters in the Poulenc Double Concerto on the opening night, Jaroslava Pechocova and Vaclav Macha make a strongly contrasted duo: she demonstrative and physical, he reserved and restrained. Their tone fused indissolubly, however, as it emerged from beneath the single lid rising above their keyboards, nestling side by side on the platform. On BBC Radio 3, 2.15pm on Wednesday.