Philipp von Steinaecker, a conductor of clear gesture and deep musical thought, impressed with an agile, highly animated approach which—stripped of all artifice—revealed a background closely linked to historically informed performance practice. This translated into readings attentive to detail, without ever becoming merely academic. His work with the OCG showed careful planning of musical discourse, constant attention to internal balance, and an organic conception of form, particularly evident in the concert’s overall dramatic progression. Steinaecker also demonstrated a natural ability to adapt to the different aesthetic worlds of the programme, without forcing common traits, while endowing the evening as a whole with a shared expressive logic.

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