CITY Hall's 2004 programme got under way in spectacular style on Saturday evening when a near-full house was transported to Vienna for an exhilarating concert by the London Gala Orchestra.

Conductor Stephen Bell's seasonal anecdotes combined with his informative views on the music of Johann Strauss, ensured a lively rapport with the audience throughout.

Kicking off with the encore was a masterstroke and the audience needed little encouragement to join in the traditional hand-clapping refrain of the Radetsky March.

Though the evening was dominated by the waltzes of one of the Austrian capital's most-famous sons, the concert wasn't just a romp through the Strauss family's greatest hits.

An eclectic mix of polkas ensured the tempo never dipped for a moment.

Soprano Nicola-Jane Kemp and tenor Lynton Atkinson were both in fine voice and the indoor pyrotechnics were also a hit.

Though the Salisbury venue may not be on a par with Vienna's Golden Hall but for a couple of hours at least, the banks of the beautiful blue Danube didn't seem too far away.

The piper leading the audience into a closing chorus of Auld Lang Syne was a nice touch too.

This concert continues to grow in stature and for those wishing to shake off post Christmas cobwebs, then there can be no better tonic.

Its growing reputation should ensure the 2005 concert is a sell out.

Mike Turner