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Celebrating classical greats

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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17 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Thu 19 Mar 202609:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Kodály Zoltán

    Intermezzo (Hary Janos Suite Op.35a)

    Performer: Laurence Kaptain. Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Kodaly: Hary Janos Suite: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Jarvi.
    • Chandos.

  • Edward Elgar

    Andante con variazione 'Evesham Andante'

    Ensemble: Athena Ensemble.
    • Chandos.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in G major for 2 mandolins, RV 532

    Performer: James Tyler. Performer: Robin Jeffrey. Orchestra: The English Concert. Conductor: Trevor Pinnock.
    • ARCHIV.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No. 1 in C major (Finale)

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • DG.

  • Aaron Copland

    The Cat and the mouse - scherzo humoristique for piano

    Performer: Leo Smit.
    • SONY.

  • Francesca Caccini

    Su le piume de' venti trionfator

    Singer: Shannon Mercer. Performer: Amanda Keesmaat. Performer: Luc Beauséjour.
    • Francesca Caccini: O Viva Rosa.
    • Analekta.
    • 17.

  • Isaac Albéniz

    Iberia - suite (Fête-Dieu à Seville)

    Orchestrator: Enrique Fernández Arbós. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Enrique Bátiz.
    • Albeniz: Orchestral music: Batiz.
    • Regis.
    • 2.

  • Johann Strauss II

    Rosen aus dem Süden

    Ensemble: Opéra de Lyon. Music Arranger: Arnold Schoenberg.
    • Schoenberg/Kaiserwalzer and Other Transcriptions.
    • Erato.
    • 5.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    La tregenda [The witches' dance] (Le Villi)

    Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Puccini: Orchestral Music.
    • Chandos.
    • 104.

  • Johann Christian Bach

    Symphony in E flat major for double orchestra, Op 18 No 1

    Orchestra: Haydn Sinfonietta Wien. Conductor: Manfred Huss.
    • BIS.

  • Édouard Lalo

    Fantasie-ballet (Namouna)

    Performer: Jean‐Jacques Kantorow. Orchestra: Tapiola Sinfonietta. Conductor: Kees Bakels.
    • Lalo - Concerto Russe; Piano Concerto etc..
    • BIS.
    • 6.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Holberg Suite for strings, Op 40 (Air)

    Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Grieg: Holberg Suite/Tchaikovsky: String Serenade: Orheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 4.

  • Barbara Strozzi

    Hodie oritur

    Singer: María Cristina Kiehr. Ensemble: Concerto Soave.
    • Barbara Strozzi.
    • l'empreinte digitale.
    • 12.

  • Domenico Scarlatti

    Sonata in G minor Kk.30 'Cat's fugue'

    Performer: Scott Ross.
    • Scarlatti: Complete Keyboard Works: Scott Ross.
    • Erato.
    • 11.

  • Leroy Anderson

    The Waltzing Cat

    Orchestra: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Frederick Fennell.
    • Fennell Conducts Leroy Anderson.
    • Mercury.
    • 03.

  • Samuel Barber

    The Monk and his Cat Op.29 no.8

    Performer: Joseph Middleton. Singer: Ashley Riches.
    • A Musical Zoo.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 17.

  • Scott Bradley

    Tom and Jerry

    • Songs from Cartoons.
    • Big Eye Music.
    • 6.

  • George Butterworth

    The Banks of Green Willow

    Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Jeffrey Tate.
    • EMI.

  • Helena Munktell

    Suite for Large Orchestra (Finale)

    Orchestra: Gävle symfoniorkester. Conductor: Tobias Ringborg.
    • Sterling.

  • Tomás Luis de Victoria

    O quam gloriosum est regnum

    Choir: Choir of Clare College, Cambridge. Conductor: Timothy Brown.
    • COLLEGIUM.

  • William Walton

    Orb and Sceptre - Coronation march

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

  • Frédéric Chopin

    2 Nocturnes Op.55 (no.2 in E flat major)

    Performer: Maria João Pires.
    • DG.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Major, K. 207

    Performer: Francesca Dego. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington.
    • Mozart: Violin Concertos, Vol. 2.
    • Chandos.
    • 1.

  • Madeleine Dring

    Trio for flute, oboe and piano; 2nd mvt. Andante semplice

    Performer: Nicholas Daniel. Performer: Adam Walker. Performer: Antonio Oyarzabal.
    • Madeleine Dring: Complete Works for Oboe.
    • Chandos.
    • 14.

  • George Gershwin

    Girl Crazy (Overture)

    Orchestra: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas.
    • Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue & Popular Orchestral Works.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Divertimento in A major, TWV 50 22 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Georg Philipp Telemann. Orchestra: Musica Antiqua Köln. Conductor: Reinhard Goebel.
    • String Concertos (Musica Antiqua Köln feat. conductor: Reinhard Goebel).
    • Archiv Produktion.
    • 009.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Fantasia (Capriccio) in C major

    Performer: Jean‐Efflam Bavouzet.
    • Haydn: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 11.
    • Chandos.
    • 7.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Symphony No.4 in F minor (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda.
    • Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 - Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition.
    • Lso Live.
    • 104.

Broadcast

  • Thu 19 Mar 202609:30
    BBC Radio 3