London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jaroslaw Nadrzycki (violin), Mark Fitz-Gerald (conductor)

Ireland’s light-hearted ‘London Overture’ should be on more concert programmes, Bruch’s 1st Violin Concerto perhaps less often (or that is what Bruch wished because he received no royalties for it and thought his many other concertos at least as worthy). Of course, the LPO did both works justice, much to the approval of a capacity audience. Nadrzycki made the Bruch seem safe and I even wondered, briefly, how he had won so many competitions. A generously long encore, ‘Études-Caprices’ by Wieniawski, revealed his dazzling skill and won thunderous applause. What could follow that? A first-rate performance of Sibelius’s 2nd Symphony.

Congress Theatre, Eastbourne, 17 March 2013

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