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The new Limelight serial on Radio 4 is all about dark doings in a country not far from Russia as seen from the British Embassy. It came as a surprise to hear several excerpts from Elgar's Cello Concerto as part of the incidental music. It didn't seem to fit, though perhaps all will be clearer after I’ve heard the whole serial. That concerto is a piece I love, and it caused me to remember.

Back when I was young and I was discovering music, this was one of pieces that introduced me to British classical music. The definitive recording then was by Jacqueline du Pré and it remained the most critically-acclaimed for many years: unchallenged. Of course, I had bought a copy. The concerto was written by Elgar in his later years, and is generally considered to be a statement by an old man looking back on his life. Why, then, was it the young Jacqueline du Pré who played it the best?

Some years ago, a brilliant new young cellist hit the limelight. He is Sheku Kanneh Mason and he is just one in a large family of musical prodigies. He performed the concerto at the Proms, and I listened on Radio 3 and was totally captivated by it.

Having just heard an extract of the piece, I decided to hear the whole thing. Off to YouTube where I found a video of Sheku playing at that Prom concert. I watched spellbound. Listening on the radio is one thing, but watching the passion with which that young musician approached that demanding concerto, was something else again. But why, again, was it a young cellist who could interpret so well the work of an old man?

Better then du Pré? Let’s not go there.