WHAT’S ON: Northern Sinfonia, conducted by Frans Bruggen, The Sage Gateshead, 7.30pm, Saturday. Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart. Box Office: 0191-443-4661.

REVIEWS: Prokofiev, Freddy Kempf (BISSACD- 1820) Kempf, The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Andrew Litton join forces for the most popular of Prokofiev’s five piano concertos.

The Second Piano Concerto, premiered by Prokofiev in 1913, shocking the audience with its modernistic sounds and jagged rhythms. There’s also the Piano Sonata No 2 in D minor. A solid reading.

Kreutzer Violin Concertos 15, 18 & 19 (CPO 777 188-2) Kreutzer, one of the founding fathers of the modern school of violin playing, wrote 19 concertos. This series of Kreutzer Violin Concertos begins with some of his latter works, written for the genre. A sterling performance by Laurent Albrecht Breuninger.

Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Martin Roscoe (Deux Elles DXL1161) Martin Roscoe has begun recording the complete Beethoven piano sonatas for Deux-Elles. The album includes the dynamic Pathetique. Delivered with passion and clarity of purpose this is a thrilling start to the cycle.