There was a lot riding on this Prom, according to an article (I'm told) on the front page of the Philadelphia Enquirer. Not least because of the now notorious, in Philadelphia at least, Gramophone poll of the world's best orchestras that saw the city's famed ensemble fail to make the top 20. At that time, the Philadelphia Orchestra seemed to be making more international headlines thanks to its acrimonious split with its former music director Christoph von Eschenbach than for its music-making. But this concert, part of a European tour, was important for a far more immediate reason. The orchestra is currently in administration and will have been desperately trying to impress potential donors.

By most measures this was a very impressive showing. I'd heard that their current boss, the eminent Charles Dutoit, has galvanised the players in recent times and on this evidence can well believe it. Once past a Sibelius Finlandia that sounded a touch hollow (perhaps the musicians were taking their time acclimatising to the hall's none-too-easy acoustic), they hit form. And form for this orchestra means a particularly luxurious, big and warm sound. In the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto they melded textures beautifully with the soloist Janine Jansen (a showily virtuosic performance that demonstrated incredible sonic control but could have done with a bit more, I don't know, of a human scale I suppose). In Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances they positively glowed, with a string sound that seemed to stretch into infinity and gorgeous, caressing brass. This must be what those great old MGM orchestras, made up of the best players from across America, must have sounded like – big and bold and sometimes schmaltzy and, that word again, luxurious. In terms of sheer sound, there's no doubt that this orchestra is today world-class.

That said, it was only in Ravel's crazed La valse that I sensed a keen dramatic edge, a specificity, to the proceedings. Dutoit has clearly restored elements of the orchestra's former glory, now it will be up to their incoming music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin to see whether he can imbue them with a versatility of character. It's an adventure which will be well worth watching and, note to those potential funders, supporting!