For those who despair at the number of recent ‘HIP’ versions…in which Vivaldi’s onomatopoeic effects have been allowed to run riot, Steinbacher’s alluring tone, espressivo phrasing, subtle vibrato inflections and bewitching cantabile should provide a vital tonic…Yet what makes this fine-honed account stand out from the pack is [the Piazzolla]…Steinbacher treads the fine line between Argentinian heat and Parisian cool with flair and sensitivity.

Having enjoyed her immaculately elegant Strauss album a couple of years ago, the smoky, dirt-under-the-fingernails verve of Steinbacher’s Piazzolla Seasons took me slightly by surprise; its impact is heightened by the fact that she treats their Vivaldi counterparts relatively straight, with no Kennedy-esque excesses but plenty of subtle imaginative touches.

Both soloist and ensemble approach the contrasting styles – baroque energy and bluesy Latin passion – with supple mastery, bows biting into strings, rhythms accentuated, mood at times aggressive. Vivaldi’s Summer, with its rushing storms and prickly, insect-ridden heat, sounds more than usually wild, with Steinbacher fearless in the rapid, high-flying outbursts. What a player.