The Northern Sinfonia's latest guest artist at The Sage Gateshead was the talented young American pianist Jonathan Biss, who gave a dynamic performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 1. A work less programmed than Beethoven's later concertos, the first is nonetheless compelling for its changes of mood, which were conveyed with intensity and flair by Biss. With his lanky frame hunched in concentration over the keyboard, Biss's enormous hands played with the lightest of touches. His was an account that sparkled, with scintillating runs and a scorching cadenza in the first movement. His slow movement had an air of nobility while the last finale saw keen exchanges with the sinfonia. The concert opened with an effervescent account of Mendelssohn's aquatically-themed Overture Fair Melusina and was rounded off with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 5. The latter is a work conventionally performed by larger orchestral forces, but producing a heavyweight account was no obstacle to the sinfonia, whose sonic signature is well suited to the Sage's Hall One. The melancholic opening movement, introduced by clarinets and bassoons, was drawn out with careful deliberation by maestro Thomas Zehetmair, with lush lines from from the strings. A highlight was the entrance of principal horn Peter Francombe in the slow movement, with the melody taken up by impeccable playing from the clarinet and bassoon. The brass, for their part, shattered the calm with biting venom. Zehetmair pushed the finale to the limit, with the sinfonia's sinews straining against the tension. They pulled it off with an exhilarating climax. A memorable evening.