Beethoven didn’t have much time for tyrants. “If I understood war as well as I understand music, I would conquer him” was his verdict when Napoleon invaded Austria – and judging from the daring, the charisma and the sheer, elemental force of his ‘Eroica’ (Heroic) Symphony, he might have had a point. The commitment and skill of Ukrainian musicians always receives a warm welcome here at Cadogan Hall, and tonight, one of Ukraine’s most-admired pianists takes the spotlight in the majestic ‘Emperor’ Concerto – music of unbreakable grandeur and defiance, and the perfect complement to the ‘Eroica’. An 18th-century Ukrainian classic makes a delightful opening to an evening of music-making at its most committed. “Conducting without a baton but with vivid gestures, generated a white heat of energy.” The Times on Volodymyr Sirenko