Sinfonia Viva with Duncan Ward and Clare Hammond (piano)

One of the greatest virtuosos of his day, Johann Nepomuk Hummel was also a composer who rivalled Beethoven, and his output included some impressive piano concertos. This performance from Sinfonia Viva offers the rare chance to experience his dazzling Second Concerto, a free-running precursor to the Romanticism of Chopin and Mendelssohn. Nottingham’s own Clare Hammond, described by The Telegraph as a pianist of “amazing power and panache” is just the soloist to ignite its fireworks.

The rest of the programme is a box of contrasting delights, from the high spirits of Prokofiev’s First Symphony to Sibelius's mist-shrouded miniature, Scene with Cranes. Very different in mood, though no less scenic, is Mendelssohn’s Fourth Symphony. Inspired by his trip to Italy in 1830, it packs a grand tour into thirty minutes, revelling in the sun-drenched landscape and atmospheric ancient sites, and dancing through its effervescent finale.

Free pre-concert talk, 6.30pm in the auditorium: Clare Hammond in conversation.