When the weather is perfect and the program is all-Beethoven, it can be idyllic at Riverbend. Well, almost.

        There was the train that blared and chugged through most of the first movement of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2.

        But, train aside, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's program Thursday under the baton of Jaime Laredo was a deeply satisfying experience. Mr. Laredo may be known more for his violin-playing than his conducting. But he is animated, intelligent and inspiring on the podium, and that combination resulted in exceptional playing by the CSO.

        In the Egmont Overture, for instance, the playing was disciplined and crisp. Mr. Laredo created an aura of mystery in the sustained opening. It burst into vigorous climaxes, with brass that was powerful yet well-integrated.

        Pianist Joseph Kalichstein joined his colleague Mr. Laredo for the second time this week, this time to delve into the riches of the Beethoven Piano Concerto in B-flat. (He and Mr. Laredo perform in the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio.)

        Mr. Kalichstein plays with thoughtful intensity, a clear, even tone and bold, incisive articulation. Although he had to compete with the train in the first movement, his glittering runs and figurations were stunning, and he communicated a range of expression. The cadenza, which begins with a fugue, was free and powerful, as he combined lyrical beauty with Beethovenian drive.

        The Adagio was spacious and hushed; the finale an earthy, extroverted contrast. Mr. Kalichstein captured the character and mood of each theme with verve. Most captivating, though, was his absolute communion with Mr. Laredo.

        After intermission, Mr. Laredo leaped onto the podium and, without a pause, gave the downbeat to Beethoven's Symphony No. 2.

        The warmth of this collaboration, too, was unmistakable. The winds were nuanced in the slow introduction; the ensuing Allegro con brio smiled, yet there was a palpable undercurrent of tension.

        The violins had wonderful color (perhaps something to do with this violinist-maestro), and no two phrases sounded alike. Mr. Laredo shaped the Larghetto warmly and spaciously, so that its lyricism was unforced. He brought out the witty interplay between winds and strings in the scherzo.

        The adrenalin flew in the finale, which was at once noble and exciting. “Wow,” said a man nearby, and I agreed.

        The only disappointment was the meager audience. Perhaps the CSO's experiment with mid-week Riverbend concerts is not such a good idea, after all.

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