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Relax into the day with classical

Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.

Ian Skelly plays the best classical music for your morning, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites. Including the Playlister challenge: our regular listener-created sequence inspired by a different piece of music each day. Plus a new classical release in focus for Album of the Week.

1000 Playlister starter: listen and send us your ideas for the next step in today's musical journey. Text 83111 or email essentialclassics@bbc.co.uk.

1030 Album of the Week: an exciting new classical release in focus throughout the week.

1115 Playlister reveal: an uninterrupted sequence of music suggested by you in response to today's starter piece.

1200 Feast of a Piece: indulge your ears with a masterpiece.

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22 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Last Friday 09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Claude Debussy

    Arabesque no.1 in E major

    Performer: Simon Trpceski.
    • Debussy: Images/Children's Corner etc: Simon Trpceski.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 1.

  • Hieronymus Praetorius

    Exultate iusti à 16

    Ensemble: Europäisches Hanse-Ensemble. Conductor: Manfred Cordes.
    • Musik der Hansestädte Vol. 4: Musik aus dem alten Hamburg.
    • CPO.
    • 101.

  • Henryk Wieniawski

    Violin Concerto no.1 in F sharp minor (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Gil Shaham. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Lawrence Foster.
    • DG.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Symphony no.4 in E minor (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Brahms: The Symphonies.
    • DECCA.
    • 5.

  • Trad.

    Wedding March from Gudbrandsdalen

    Performer: Birger Mistereggen. Choir: Trio Mediæval.
    • ECM.

  • Madeleine Dring

    Blue air (Colour suite)

    Performer: Sarah Cahill.
    • The Future is Female, Vol. 2: The Dance.
    • First Hand Records.
    • 1.

  • César Franck

    Symphony in D minor M.48: 3rd movement; Allegro non troppo

    Orchestra: Orchestre des Champs‐Élysées. Conductor: Philippe Herreweghe.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Robert Schumann

    Piano Quintet in E flat major Op.44 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Alexander Melnikov. Ensemble: Jerusalem Quartet.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Symphony no.3 in A minor Op.56 'Scottish' (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Maxim Emelyanychev.
    • Felix Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5.
    • Linn Records.
    • 2.

  • Johann Friedrich Fasch

    Concerto for Recorder, Strings and Basso Continuo in F Major

    Performer: Max Volbers. Conductor: Reinhard Goebel. Ensemble: Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum.
    • The Leipzig Collegium Musicum Vol. 1: Music before Bach.
    • Pentatone.

  • Joanna Marsh

    I take thee

    Ensemble: The Gesualdo Six. Director: Owain Park.
    • HYPERION.

  • John Dowland

    Come again, sweet love doth now invite

    Music Arranger: Taracea. Ensemble: Taracea.
    • Alpha.

  • Alec Templeton

    In Rhythm from Pocket-Sized Sonata No. 1

    Performer: Oleg Shebeta-Dragan. Performer: Dominic Degavino.

  • Edward Elgar

    Introduction & Allegro

    Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Scherzo in D minor

    Orchestra: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Paavo Järvi.
    • Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Dances from Aleko & Scherzo in D Minor.
    • Telarc.
    • 5.

  • Sam Fonteyn

    Pop Looks Bach [Ski Sunday theme]

    Ensemble: London Music Works.
    • Alan Partridge - Alpha Papa.
    • Rhino.
    • 19.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (Lyric Pieces Op.65 Bk 8)

    Performer: Leif Ove Andsnes.
    • Grieg: Lyric Pieces.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 19.

  • Trad.

    Wedding March from Valsoyfjord

    Performer: Gjermund Larsen. Music Arranger: Grete Pedersen. Music Arranger: Henning Sommerro. Choir: Norwegian Soloists' Choir. Conductor: Grete Pedersen. Singer: Berit Opheim.
    • White Night: Impressions of Norwegian Folk Music.
    • BIS.
    • 114.

  • Gustav Holst

    St Paul's Suite Op 29`2 (Finale; The Dargason)

    Orchestra: Scottish Ensemble. Conductor: Jonathan Rees.
    • Wilson: St Kentigern Suite: Scottish Ensemble, Jonathan Rees.
    • Virgin Classics.
    • 23.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Prelude, BWV 855a

    Performer: Bruce Liu. Music Arranger: Alexander Siloti.
    • DG.

  • Barbara Strozzi

    L'Eraclito amoroso Op.2 no.14

    Singer: Helen Charlston. Performer: Toby Carr.
    • Delphian.

  • Darius Milhaud

    Chasse a Valabre and Madrigal-nocturne (La Cheminee du Roi Rene Op 205)

    Ensemble: Les Vents Français.
    • French Music for Winds & 20th Century Wind Quintets.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 16.

  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    Symphony no. 5 in E minor Op.64: 2nd mvt

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski.
    • Jurowski Conducts Tchaikovsky Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5.
    • LPO.
    • 002.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Sonata No 15 in D major, Op 28 'Pastoral'

    Performer: Richard Goode.
    • Beethoven: The Complete Sonatas.
    • Nonesuch.
    • 51.

  • François‐Joseph Gossec

    Tambourin (Le Triomphe de la Republique)

    Music Arranger: Charles Gerhardt. Performer: James Galway. Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Gerhardt.
    • James Galway - Celebrating 70 - A collection of Personal Favourites.
    • RCA.
    • 3.

  • Selim Palmgren

    Cinderella Suite: Dance on the Hangman's Mountain

    Orchestra: Oulu Sinfonia.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Pamela Harrison

    Sonatina for Violin and Piano (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Lucy Gould. Performer: Benjamin Frith.
    • Pamela Harrison: Chamber Works.
    • Resonus Classics.
    • 7.

  • John Blow

    Chaconne in G major

    Ensemble: Arcangelo. Director: Jonathan Cohen.
    • HYPERION.

  • John Taverner

    Agnus Dei 2 (Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas)

    Choir: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
    • Gimell.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony no.9 in E minor 'From the New World' (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • BR Klassik.

Broadcast

  • Last Friday 09:30
    BBC Radio 3