Two concerts packed with thorny repertoire playing to large and enthusiastic audiences of all ages: the London Philharmonic Orchestra is cresting a tricky wave right now. A fortnight ago Conductor Emeritus Vladimir Jurowski held us spellbound with mechanistic Mosolov and Prokofiev (the insanely difficult Second Symphony); last night Principal Conductor Edward Gardner served up Czech and Polish rarities, drawing equal fire from the players.

On a dank January evening in St Albans, there seemed little sign of life or excitement on the streets. To reach my destination – St Peter’s Church – I first had to walk through an ancient graveyard where the yew trees loomed like sentinels. It was quite a contrast to enter the church itself, where the sudden blaze of light and warmth and packed aisles made it clear that this, for tonight at least, was the heartbeat of St Alban’s.