Steinbacher, RTÉ NSO/Inkinen

NCH, Dublin

Brahms

– Tragic Overture.

Dvorak

– Violin Concerto.

Beethoven

– Symphony No 7.

ARABELLA Steinbacher’s performance of Dvorak’s Violin Concerto at the National Concert Hall on Friday is not likely to be forgotten by anyone who was there.

There was an unexpected, loud snapping sound in the finale, as Steinbacher suffered the misfortune of a broken string. And in what seemed like a flash, she had exchanged instruments with Elaine Clarke, who was leading the orchestra, and the performance was under way again.

Clarke, in turn, passed the violin back to the desk behind her, so that she could continue to lead, and sorted out shoulder pads and cloths with the soloist as opportunity allowed.

It’s a tall order to finish a concerto on an unfamiliar instrument, but Steinbacher brought it off in grand style.

It was fascinating to hear her testing out the limits of a violin that was strange to her, and one point she pressed for tone with such scorching intensity, you wouldn’t have been surprised to have seen smoke rising from the point of contact between bow and string.

The performance had begun in cooler mode, and had warmed up quite nicely during the slow movement. Dvorak's Violin Concertois one of those delightfully tuneful works which can sound rather off the boil in between its best moments. Steinbacher's playing had already reached a peak in the energised dance of the finale, and, although the timbre became a little muted, the music-making went into overdrive after the change of instruments.

Finnish conductor Pietari Inkinen was a characterful partner in the concerto, although he did favour balances which were sometimes too strongly in the orchestra’s favour.

Elsewhere his music-making was always well-centred. His account of Brahms's Tragic Overturewas appropriately gritty.

The faster movements of Beethoven's Seventh Symphonywere athletically sprung, and infused with a heart-quickening flavour of celebration. The inimitable Allegrettowas paced to perfection.