FOR a chamber orchestra to take on the grand sweep of a Sibelius score would, on the face of it, be a gamble; and even more so his one-movement seventh symphony. But for the Northern Sinfonia, performing at The Sage Gateshead, it was a risk that paid off.

From the opening touch of the timpani to its driven conclusion, musical director Thomas Zehetmair had his finger firmly on the pulse of the piece. Evoking Sibelius' landscape of frozen tundras, the music blossomed. Every construct was clearly laid out, yet meshed into an organic whole. Sinfonia leader Bradley Creswick marshalled the forces of the strings in a shimmering display of swirling sound, punctuated by the noble strains of the trombones. The whole was perfectly modulated.

The sinfonia, joined by its imposing Chorus, then gave a rousing interpretation of Tippett's haunting masterpiece, a Child of Our Time. Modelled on Handel's Messiah and reinforced with the use of Negro spirituals, the oratorio tells of the assassination by teenager Herschel Grynszpan which led to the reprisal of Kristallnacht.

Neal Davies' powerful bass injected the narrative with just the right gravitas. Daniel Norman's crisp tenor oozed pathos and soprano Cynthia Haymon's soaring voice lifted the rafters. It may not have been a capacity audience, but those who were there made up for any empty seats with thunderous applause and cheers. An incomparable experience.

Published: 08/03/2005