A SUNDAY teatime concert is being held on Sunday, February 1 at 3pm at Bournemouth Pavilion.

The concert is the first in Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s Sunday Teatime Classics series, with further concerts in March and April.

Entitled ‘Melodic Passion’, the programme explores some of the finer exponents of melodic writing and development in the repertoire.

Under the baton of the Leverhulme Young Conductor in Association Frank Zielhorst, the BSO will be joined by British pianist Danny Driver for Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto, often described as the greatest piano concerto ever written.

The great and glorious Russian melodies which are passed between piano and orchestra in a flowing dialogue have inspired many instances in popular culture and were used to dramatic effect in David Lean’s film Brief Encounter.

However, it might never have been written had not a Moscow physician and amateur chamber musician named Dr Dahl helped to treat the composer for depression. His efforts enabled Rachmaninov to eat more, drink less and, more importantly, compose again. The project that benefited most from his newly restored confidence was his much-loved Second Piano Concerto.

Danny Driver has a special interest in unusual or neglected works and has championed music by the Russian piano great, Balakirev; Max Reger; and Robert Schumann’s musical wife, Clara.

He has also performed with many orchestras both in this country and abroad.

Dvorák’s Symphony No.8, makes up the larger part of the second half.

Inspired by the Bohemian folk music he loved so much, it is a display of the great melodist’s prowess.

The work, designed to be ‘different from the other symphonies, with individual thoughts worked out in a new way’ (Dvorák’s own words), reflects the Czech countryside, a reaction to the repressive Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Beethoven’s famous Egmont Overture – written not long after his famous Fifth Symphony – opens the afternoon.

This concert of beautiful music will be introduced by Classic FM presenter Anne-Marie Minhall.

The series continues on Sunday, March 8 with a concert of music by Sibelius, Mozart, Rossini and Beethoven, and is finished off on Sunday, April 19 with a wonderful selection of majestic English music.

Contact the venue for tickets or visit bsolive.com