I’ve been a fan of Julian Lloyd Webber ever since he brought out that album of music by his brother Andrew back in the 1970s, of which the only track anyone remembers, or recognizes today, is the one that has become the music to the opening title credit sequence of Melvyn Bragg’s The Southbank Show.

In many ways this concert - which is part of a nationwide tour - is all about promoting Julian’s new CD, and I can’t think of better way to do that, and give a hugely expectant audience a superb night of superb music.

Like the CD the evening was made up of generally short pieces that showed-off Webber’s beautiful 16th century Stradivarius to great effect, with the Civic Hall’s notoriously bad acoustics for once thoroughly outwitted by Webber’s playing and the glorious tone of his golden cello.

Such was the effect of the evening that Hilary and myself haven’t stopped listening to the CD, especially to such almost forgotten pieces as Oscar Rasbach’s wonderful song Trees, which became a huge hit for Paul Robeson in the 1930s, and a melody that, although short, haunts you like an old friend and which, in Webber’s hands could be a slow movement from an unfinished concerto by Delius, such is its power and beauty.

Likewise with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Chant Hindou (Song of India), where Webber brought out the inherent and lingering metaphysical heritage of the composer, and his unfulfilled subconscious desire to write popular music which manifests itself so well in this now almost iconoclastic piece of music. If you get the chance track down Tommy Dorsey’s 1940s recording, with a young Buddy Rich on drums, to hear a wholly different, but as satisfying version of this piece of enchanting music.

Throughout the evening Webber was accompanied by the pianist Pam Chowhan, who I see from the CD was also responsible for most of the arrangements on the recording - as she no doubt was for the concert pieces - who has an extremely sure touch when it comes to harmonization and making a little go an extremely long way. As a pianist Ms Chowhan is very accomplished indeed, with a touch that reminded me of Duke Ellington when he was in rhapsodizing mode, which, in him, and in Ms Chowhan, brings out the delicacy and heart of the instrument.

But if I had to single out one piece of music from the concert, and from the CD, that has stuck with me it would be Webber’s rendition of Elgar’s ‘In Haven’ from his glorious Sea Pictures, which was utterly divine in its simplicity and beauty, as was the entire concert.

Steve Newman