BUTLER TWP — Had Johannes Brahms attended the premiere concert of the Butler County Symphony at the Butler Intermediate High School auditorium Saturday night, he might have shouted “Wunderbar!” The “All Brahms” concert was a triumph.

The sprightly Hungarian Dance No. 5 which opened the program, displayed Brahms’ signature contrasts of tempo and volume in memorable melody lines. The work not only set the tone for the evening but also spotlighted the impressive expertise of the Butler County Symphony.

Under the leadership of Maestro Matthew Kraemer, the orchestra is quickly progressing from an amateurish small-town group to a first-class orchestra comparable to those in much larger cities.

This fact is emphasized by the exceptional quality of guest performers Kraemer and the Butler County Symphony have attracted — such as violinist Andres Cardenes and cellist Marjorie Lange Hanna who came to share their talents. They performed Brahms’ “Double Concerto for Violin and Cello, Op. 102.”

Cardenes, who is the former concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and Hanna, who is principal cellist of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, have each earned innumerable plaudits for their solo careers.

They joined their talents to play the concerto with breathtaking sensitivity. The two musicians handed the themes from one to another and back again flawlessly, making the music sound as if coming from one instrument instead of two.

The first movement, Allegro, began with a majestic cello solo by Hanna which was repeated by Cardenes on violin. Then they joined in exacting parallel arpeggios. The orchestra supported the soloists without overpowering them — a credit to Kraemer’s conducting ability.

The Andante movement featured a familiar Brahms theme that progressed at a regal pace. Hanna and Cardenes played the melodies with freshness and charm. The concluding sustained note almost seemed to make the air glow.

The final movement, Vivace non troppo, featured complex rhythms that challenged the soloists as well as the orchestra. The initial notes danced quickly before taking on a more aggressive tonality, both handled with precision by the musicians.

The final work on the program was the “Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73.”

Beginning with the lively first movement, the piece migrated from forceful statements to more pastoral moments and back again. At times there were even hints of that famous lullaby.

Next was the Adagio, with its more somber tonality. It opened with the cello and bass section establishing the theme which was then augmented by the wind instruments. Repeatedly building to grandeur and receding to quiet lyricism, it ended in beauty.

The third movement, was perky. There was a dialogue of strings and woodwinds and a reprise of the original theme but at a slower pace. The movement was exemplified by the contrasts and showed the orchestra’s versatility.

The Allegro con spirito movement brought the concert full circle reminiscent of the Hungarian Dance as it featured fast, intense rhythms and a gradual acceleration to the powerful finale.

The evening was a tour de force for Brahms, the Butler Symphony Orchestra and especially for the soloists Hanna and Cardenes.