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Refresh your morning with classical music

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 an orchestral masterpiece.

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11 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Fri 13 Mar 202609:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    La forza del destino (Overture)

    Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Verdi: 7 Overtures: NPO, Chailly.
    • Decca.
    • 1.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    'Es ist vollbracht' from Cantata BWV 159 (Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem)

    Singer: Peter Kooij. Orchestra: Bach Collegium Japan. Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki.
    • BIS.

  • Franz Liszt

    Piano Sonata in B minor (conclusion)

    Performer: Yuja Wang.
    • 111 Years Of Deutsche Grammophon The Collector's Edition Vol.2.
    • Deutshe Grammophon.
    • 11.

  • Emmanuel Chabrier

    Habanera

    Orchestra: Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Chabrier: Orchestral works: Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/Jarvi.
    • Chandos.
    • 3.

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Rigoletto: Act I, sc 1 (conclusion)

    Singer: Clifford Grant. Singer: Luciano Pavarotti. Singer: Sherrill Milnes. Choir: Ambrosian Singers. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Bonynge.
    • Verdi: Rigoletto.
    • DECCA.
    • 5.

  • Fanny Mendelssohn

    Capriccio in B minor

    Performer: Claire Huangci.
    • ALPHA.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    Crisantemi (Adapted for String Orchestra by John Wilson)

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

  • Charles Avison

    Concerto Grosso in F major, Op 10 No 2

    Performer: Pavlo Beznosiuk. Ensemble: Avison Ensemble.
    • The Avison Ensemble: Avison: Concerti Grossi, op. 9 & op. 10.
    • Divine Art.
    • 16.

  • Jerome Moross

    The Big Country (main theme)

    Orchestra: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Conductor: Erich Kunzel.
    • Round-Up.
    • Telarc.
    • 9.

  • Robert Schumann

    Violin Concerto (2nd & 3rd mvts)

    Performer: Midori. Orchestra: Lucerne Festival Strings. Conductor: Daniel Dodds.
    • Schumann: Violin Concerto & Works for Violin and Piano by Clara and Robert Schum.
    • Pentatone.
    • 102.

  • Giovanni Animuccia

    O crux ave, spes unica

    Choir: London Oratory Schola Cantorum. Conductor: Charles Cole.
    • Sacred Treasures of Rome (Palestrina & His Contemporaries – A Golden Age of.
    • Hyperion.
    • 6.

  • Augusta Holmès

    Trois petites pièces: Gigue

    Performer: Juliette Hurel. Performer: Hélène Couvert.
    • Compositrices à l'aube du XXe siècle.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 3.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No 5 'Emperor' (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Paul Lewis. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jiří Bělohlávek.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Bedrich Smetana

    String Quartet no.1 in E minor 'From my life' (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Pavel Haas Quartet.
    • Supraphon.

  • Pietro Yon

    12 Divertimenti (Toccatina)

    Performer: Ian Tracey.
    • Ian Tracey - Organ Recital.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 12.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Der Hölle Rache (The Magic Flute)

    Singer: Sumi Jo. Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Georg Solti.
    • Decca.

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Macbeth (Act 3 Ballet Music: Part 3)

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.
    • EMI.

  • Giacomo Carissimi

    Jephte: "Plorate, filii Israel"

    Ensemble: Gabrieli Consort. Conductor: Paul McCreesh.
    • MERIDIAN.

  • George Gershwin

    It Ain't Necessarily So (Porgy & Bess)

    Performer: Randall Goosby. Music Arranger: Jascha Heifetz.
    • Gershwin: Porgy and Bess: It Ain't Necessarily So (Arr. Heifetz).
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 1.

  • Charles Ives

    Symphony No 1 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Los Angeles Philharmonic. Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel.
    • Charles Ives: Complete Symphonies.
    • DG.

  • Francesca Caccini

    Dolce Maria

    Performer: Amanda Keesmaat. Performer: Luc Beauséjour. Singer: Shannon Mercer.
    • Francesca Caccini: O Viva Rosa.
    • Analekta.
    • 6.

  • Francis Poulenc

    Intermezzo in A flat major

    Performer: Pascal Rogé.
    • Poulenc: Piano Music: Pascal Roge.
    • Decca.
    • 20.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Concerto in C major for flute and harp K.299 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Emmanuel Pahud. Performer: Marie‐Pierre Langlamet. Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Mozart Flute Concertos Concerto For Flute And Harp.
    • EMI Classics.

  • Richard Strauss

    Don Juan Op.20

    Orchestra: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Manfred Honeck.
    • REFERENCE RECORDINGS.

  • Amy Beach

    Berceuse (3 Pieces Op.40)

    Performer: Steven Isserlis. Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Children's Cello.
    • BIS.
    • 17.

  • John Blow

    Chaconne in G major

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

  • Vincent Youmans

    Tea for two, arr. for piano

    Performer: Lise de la Salle. Music Arranger: Art Tatum.
    • When Do We Dance?.
    • Naive.

  • William Byrd

    Mass for 4 voices (Agnus Dei)

    Choir: Stile Antico.
    • The Golden Renaissance: William Byrd.
    • DECCA.
    • 19.

  • Robert Schumann

    Kerner Lieder, Op. 35: Stille Tränen

    Performer: Michael Gees. Singer: Christoph Prégardien.
    • RCA.

  • Edward Elgar

    Introduction and Allegro Op.47

    Ensemble: Doric String Quartet. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • CHANDOS.

Broadcast

  • Fri 13 Mar 202609:30
    BBC Radio 3