Main content

A classical soundtrack for your morning

Georgia Mann plays the best classical music for your morning, 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.

To listen on most smart speakers, say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Essential Classics”.

25 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • George Frideric Handel

    Air and variations, 'The Harmonious Blacksmith' (Suite in E major, HWV 430)

    Performer: Murray Perahia.
    • Sony.
  • Joaquín Rodrigo

    Sarao (Concierto serenata)

    Performer: Isabelle Moretti. Orchestra: Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla. Conductor: Edmon Colomer.
    • Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Concierto Serenata.
    • Auvdis Valois.
    • 8.
  • Anton Stepanovich Arensky

    Piano Trio no.1 in D minor Op.31 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Beaux Arts Trio.
    • Arensky: The Piano Trios.
    • Philips Classics.
    • 2.
  • Francesco Manfredini

    Concerto Grosso in C major, Op 3 No 12, 'per il santissimo natale'

    Performer: Thorsten Rosenbusch. Performer: Karl-Heinz Schröter. Performer: Harald Winkler. Performer: Raphael Alpermann. Performer: Christian Trompler. Orchestra: Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen.
    • Christmas Concertos - Kammerochestrer Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 17.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No 41, 'Jupiter' (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphonies 38 - 41 Scottish Chamber Orchestra Sir Charle.
    • Linn.
    • 5.
  • Kim André Arnesen

    Even When He Is Silent

    Choir: Kantorei. Conductor: Joel Rinsema.
    • Kim André Arnesen: Infinity.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Piano Concerto in C sharp minor (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.
    • Poulenc: Piano Concerto, Organ Concerto & Stabat Mater.
    • LPO.
    • 2.
  • Johann Adolf Hasse

    Mandolin Concerto in G major, Op 3 No 11

    Performer: Theodoros Kitsos. Ensemble: Armonia Atenea. Director: George Petrou.
    • Decca.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No.1 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.
    • BR Klassik.
  • Christopher Churcher

    Echo

    Singer: Steph Garrett. Conductor: Will Dawes. Ensemble: Somerville College Choir, Oxford.
    • Churcher: Moonrise.
    • Resonus Classics.
    • 12.
  • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

    Nonet in F minor Op.2 (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective.
    • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Nonet, Piano Trio, Piano Quintet.
    • Chandos.
    • 3.
  • Johann Friedrich Fasch

    Concerto in F major for Recorder, Strings and Continuo FaWV LF6 [complete]

    Performer: Thomas Triesschijn. Ensemble: The Counterpoints.
    • Thomascantors in Dialogue.
    • Challenge Classics.
    • 14-16.
  • Lili Boulanger

    D'un matin de printemps

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Yan Pascal Tortelier.
    • Boulanger: Faust Et Helene Etc. - Soloists/CBSC/BBC Phil./Tortelier.
    • Chandos.
    • 4.
  • Leó Weiner

    Romanze

    Performer: Ditta Rohmann. Performer: Melinda Felletár. Orchestra: MÁV Szimfonikus zenekar. Conductor: Valéria Csányi.
    • Weiner: Complete Orchestral Works, Vol. 3.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.
  • Paul Simon

    The Sound Of Silence

    Music Arranger: Geoff Lawson. Music Arranger: Chris Trueman. Performer: Miloš Karadaglić. Ensemble: 12 Ensemble.
    • The Sound of Silence.
    • Decca.
    • 1.
  • Christopher Tin

    Hope is the thing with feathers

    Choir: VOCES8. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Barnaby Smith.
    • Universal Music Classics.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: IV. Sarabande

    Performer: Zuzana Růžičková.
    • Bach: The Complete Keyboard Works.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 238.
  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Symphony no.1 in D major Op 25 'Classical' (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Kirill Karabits.
    • Onyx.
  • George Enescu

    Concertstück

    Performer: Timothy Ridout. Performer: Jonathan Ware.
    • Alto appassionato.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 7.
  • Cristóbal de Morales

    Missa L'homme armé a5 : II. Gloria

    Conductor: Robert Hollingworth. Ensemble: De Profundis.
    • Morales: L'homme armé Masses & Magnificat secundi toni.
    • CORO.
    • 11.
  • John Ireland

    In a May Morning (Sarnia)

    Orchestrator: Graham Parlett. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Swan. Conductor: David Curtis.
    • Ireland: Music for String Orchestra.
    • Naxos.
    • 301.
  • Emmanuel Chabrier

    Habanera

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
    • Chabrier: Espana: Wiener Philharmoniker, John Eliot Gardiner.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 5.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Gaspard de la nuit

    Performer: Martha Argerich.
    • 111 Years Of Deutsche Grammophon The Collector's Edition Vol.2.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
  • Leokadiya Kashperova

    Symphony in B minor (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Conductor: Anna Skryleva.
    • Kashperova: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 2 & Symphony in B Minor, Op. 4.
    • CapriccioNR.
    • 105.
  • Frederick Delius

    Romance

    Performer: Sterling Elliott. Performer: Richard Uttley.
  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Quartet TWV 43:g1 in G minor (Paris Quartet No.4) - II. Allegro

    Ensemble: Verita Baroque Ensemble.
    • The German Album.
    • Evil Penguin.
  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No 5 in E flat major, Op 82 (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jukka‐Pekka Saraste.
    • Sibelius : Symphonies 1 & 5 - Live in St. Petersburg.
    • Fazer.

Broadcast

  • Monday09:30