This week the big concert is at the Colston Hall on Saturday when Bristol Choral Society is presenting Beethoven’s exhilarating Missa Solemnis as its first offering for the 2008/9 season.

The Bristol choir will join forces with the City of Birmingham Choir and the celebrated orchestra from that city, all conducted by Adrian Partington.

The concert also features a quartet of distinguished soloists. It is above all a choral work with the choir singing in all but one of the five movements.

Beethoven’s supreme vocal masterpiece makes considerable technical demands on its performers and therefore the choir will relish the struggle.

Ticket hotline, 0117 962 4991.

On the same night, Bristol University Symphony Orchestra bravely tackle Mahler’s mighty Sixth Symphony. Sometimes known as The Tragic, the composer’s most devastating symphony opens with a grim march-like theme, the scherzo speeds along whilst the slow movement is tinged with melancholy. The turbulent finale, about half an hour in length, rises to a series of huge climaxes. This work has not been performed in the city for 17 years so it should be an exciting and rewarding evening.

Tickets £15 or £10 on 0117 9545 032.

Apart from the main concert, other members of the Music Society will be busy during the week with the string orchestra giving a lunchtime recital at 1.15pm today at the Vic Rooms, including works by Corelli and Grieg amongst others.

On Wednesday, December 3, at the same time and venue, the Chamber Choir present a programme that includes Parry’s Songs of Farewell and five traditional songs by John Rutter.

More Beethoven on Tuesday, December 2 when the Bristol Classical Players, under the direction of Tom Gauterin, continue their concerts containing two of his symphonies, the second and the famous fifth, which E M Forster described as “the most sublime noise ever to penetrate the ear of man”.

Tickets from St George’s on 0845 4024001

Further recitals this week include Paul Walton (organ) at the Cathedral on Tuesday, December 2, at 1.15pm and teenager Susana Gomez Vazqez (piano) on Thursday at 1pm at St George’s.

Tickets £6 (£4 for students and children) on 0845 4024001.