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Great classical music for your morning

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

Georgia Mann 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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24 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Last Monday 09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    The Sleeping Beauty (Waltz)

    Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. Conductor: Alexander Lazarev.
    • The Tchaikovsky Experience.
    • Warner Classics and Jazz.
    • 14.

  • Louise Farrenc

    Piano Quintet in C Minor (2nd Mvt, Andante sostenuto)

    Performer: Emmanuel Despax. Ensemble: Piatti Quartet.
    • RESONANCE: Schumann, Farrenc, Durosoir.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 102.

  • Claude Debussy

    Fêtes (Nocturnes)

    Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Debussy: Nocturnes/La Mer/Jeux: Boulez.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 2.

  • John Sheppard

    Libera nos

    Choir: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Renaissance: Music for inner peace.
    • UNIVERSAL.
    • 16.

  • William Walton

    Orb and Sceptre

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Kazuki Yamada.
    • Walton: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; Orb and Sceptre (Live).
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 1.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    How Cold the Wind Doth Blow (No.6 of Folk Songs from Sussex)

    Composer: Trad.. Performer: William Vann. Singer: Mary Bevan.
    • Albion Records.

  • Giovanni Gabrieli

    Canzon in echo duodecimi toni a 10

    Music Arranger: Howard Cable. Ensemble: Canadian Brass. Conductor: Elmer Iseler.
    • Gabrieli for Brass.
    • Philips.
    • 19.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    String Symphony no.2 in D major

    Orchestra: Amsterdam Sinfonietta. Conductor: Lev Markiz.
    • BIS.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Foxtrot (Suite for Jazz Band no.1)

    Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Shostakovich: The Jazz Album - Brautigam, Masseurs.
    • Decca.
    • 3.

  • Anon.

    Trotto

    Ensemble: La Reverdie.
    • Venite alla danza!.
    • Arcana.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Impromptu in A flat

    Performer: Angela Hewitt.
    • Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes and Impromptus: Angela Hewitt, piano.
    • Hyperion.
    • 8.

  • Elisabetta Brusa

    Symphonic Poem, Op.20 'Merlin'

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Daniele Rustioni.
    • Naxos.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Nehmt meinen Dank (Accept my thanks)

    Singer: Emma Kirkby. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
    • L'Oiseau-Lyre.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 orch Stokowski

    Orchestrator: Leopold Stokowski. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Matthias Bamert.
    • Stokowski's Symphonic Bach: BBC Philharmonic, Bamert.
    • Chandos.
    • 1.

  • Samuel Coleridge‐Taylor

    Clarinet Quintet in F sharp minor Op.10 (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.
    • Coleridge-Taylor: Piano quintet/Clarinet quintet: Nash Ensemble.
    • Hyperion.
    • 9.

  • Trad.

    She moved through the fair

    Performer: Ann Murray.
    • Ann Murray and Graham Johnson: Last rose of Summer.
    • Hyperion.
    • 9.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    12 Studies Op.25 (no.11 in A minor)

    Performer: Yunchan Lim.
    • Chopin: Études, Opp. 10 & 25.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..

  • John Taverner

    Western wynde - Mass for 4 voices (Gloria)

    Choir: Choir of Westminster Abbey. Conductor: James O’Donnell.
    • Hyperion.

  • Elmer Bernstein

    The Great Escape - Main Title

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
    • RYKO.

  • Rebecca Clarke

    Morpheus

    Performer: Philip Dukes. Performer: Sophia Rahman.
    • Naxos.

  • Frank Loesser

    Guys and Dolls (title song)

    Conductor: John Wilson. Choir: “Guys and Dolls” Ensemble. Singer: Damian Humbley. Singer: Nadim Naaman. Orchestra: Sinfonia of London.
    • Guys and Dolls.
    • Chandos.
    • 119.

  • Frank Loesser

    I've Never Been in Love Before (Guys and Dolls)

    Conductor: John Wilson. Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Singer: Sierra Boggess. Singer: Nathaniel Hackmann.
    • Guys and Dolls.
    • Chandos.
    • 130.

  • Frank Loesser

    Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat (Guys and Dolls)

    Conductor: John Wilson. Singer: Damian Humbley. Choir: “Guys and Dolls” Ensemble. Orchestra: Sinfonia of London.
    • Guys and Dolls.
    • Chandos.
    • 216.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    10 Preludes Op.23 (no.5 in G minor)

    Performer: Nikolai Lugansky.
    • The Rachmaninov Experience.
    • Warner Classics and Jazz.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No 94 in G, 'Surprise' (2nd mvt, Andante)

    Orchestra: Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century. Conductor: Frans Brüggen.
    • Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 94, 95 & 96.
    • Philips.
    • 2.

  • Richard Strauss

    Death and transfiguration

    Orchestra: Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Decca.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Humoresque in G flat

    Performer: Augustin Hadelich. Performer: Charles Owen. Music Arranger: Fritz Kreisler.
    • Bohemian Tales.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 14.

  • Charles Williams

    Devil's Galop

    Orchestra: The New London Orchestra. Conductor: Ronald Corp.
    • British Light Music Classics vol.1.
    • Hyperion.
    • 9.

  • Avril Coleridge-Taylor

    Sussex Landscape (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra. Conductor: Roderick Cox.
    • Chineke! Records.

  • Claudio Monteverdi

    Dixit Dominus

    Choir: I Fagiolini. Ensemble: The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble. Choir: The 24. Director: Robert Hollingworth.
    • Decca : 00289 483 1654.
    • Decca.
    • 3.

  • Michael Nyman

    The Heart Asks Pleasure First / The Promise (The Piano)

    Performer: Michael Nyman. Ensemble: Michael Nyman Band.
    • The Composer's Cut Series, Vol. III: The Piano.
    • Michael Nyman Records.
    • 14.

Broadcast

  • Last Monday 09:30
    BBC Radio 3