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Relax into the day with classical

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.

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27 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Wednesday09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Fritz Kreisler

    Liebesfreud, Old Viennese Dance No. 1

    Performer: Joshua Bell. Performer: Paul Coker.
    • Presenting Joshua Bell / Kreisler.
    • DECCA.
    • 6.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Overture (Sinfonia) (L'Isola disabitata, Hob.28:9)

    Ensemble: Il Giardino Armonico. Conductor: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Solo E Pensoso.
    • Alpha.
    • 5.

  • Louise Farrenc

    Nonet in E flat major, Op.38 (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Consortium Classicum.
    • Farrenc: Nonet & Clarinet Trio.
    • DIVOX.
    • 3.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Symphony no.1 in C minor Op.11 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Thomas Dausgaard.
    • Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3.
    • BIS.
    • 104.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (Lyric Pieces)

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud.
    • Alexandre Tharaud: Autograph.
    • Erato.
    • 7.

  • Tine Thing Helseth

    Engledans (Angels' dance)

    Performer: Tine Thing Helseth. Orchestra: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Elise Båtnes.
    • Simax.

  • Hugo Alfvén

    Uppsala Rhapsody, Op. 24

    Orchestra: German Symphony Orchestra Berlin. Conductor: Łukasz Borowicz.
    • Alfvén: Symphony No. 3 in E Major, Uppsala Rhapsody & The Mountain King Suite.
    • CPO.
    • 9.

  • Barbara Strozzi

    L' Amante modesto Op.1 no.13 for voices and continuo

    Ensemble: Cappella Mediterranea. Director: Leonardo García Alarcón.
    • Ambronay Éditions.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    The Assault on Beautiful Gorky (The Unforgettable Year 1919 - Suite Op. 89a)

    Performer: Dmitri Alexeev. Conductor: Jerzy Maksymiuk. Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra.
    • Shostakovich: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 etc.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 115.

  • Christopher Churcher

    Moonrise

    Conductor: Will Dawes. Ensemble: Somerville College Choir, Oxford.
    • Churcher: Moonrise.
    • Resonus Classics.
    • 10.

  • Hélène de Montgeroult

    Étude No 110 in A major

    Performer: Nicolas Stavy.
    • Hortus.

  • George Gershwin

    An American in Paris

    Ensemble: Harmonie Ensemble New York. Conductor: Steven Richman.
    • GERSHWIN Lincoln Mayorga - Harmonie Ensemble/NY - Steven Richman.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 8.

  • Josquin des Prez

    Sanctus de Passione

    Ensemble: Brabant Ensemble. Conductor: Stephen Rice.
    • HYPERION.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Slavonic Dance in B major Op.72 no.9

    Orchestra: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Davis.
    • Nobel Prize Ceremony Music.
    • FINLANDIA.
    • 6.

  • Erik Satie

    The Angels (3 Melodies)

    Singer: Barbara Hannigan. Performer: Reinbert de Leeuw.
    • Satie: Socrate.
    • Winter & Winter.
    • 1.

  • Astor Piazzolla

    Milonga del angel

    Performer: Pablo Mainetti. Orchestra: Orquestra de Cambra Teatre Lliure. Conductor: Josep Pons.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • John Tavener

    Song of the Angel

    Performer: Andrew Manze. Singer: Patricia Rozario. Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Paul Goodwin.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Edward Elgar

    Introduction and Allegro Op.47

    Ensemble: LSO String Ensemble. Conductor: Roman Simović.
    • LSO LIVE.

  • Pauline Hall

    Tempo di valse (Suite for wind quintet)

    Performer: Bergen blåsekvintett.
    • Norway in Music: Pauline Hall.
    • Simax.
    • 013.

  • Franz Schubert

    Piano Sonata in D Major, D. 850: IV. Rondo. Allegro moderato

    Performer: Arcadi Volodos.
    • Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Major, D. 850 - Schumann: Kinderszenen Op. 15.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 4.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Dopo notte (Ariodante)

    Singer: Dame Sarah Connolly. Orchestra: Orchestra of The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Heroes and Heroines.
    • Coro.
    • 8.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Trio in E flat major K.498 'Kegelstatt' (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Martin Frost. Performer: Antoine Tamestit. Performer: Leif Ove Andsnes.
    • BIS.

  • George Butterworth

    English Idyll no.1

    Orchestra: Hallé. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.
    • Halle: English Rhapsody.
    • Halle.
    • 2.

  • Franz Liszt

    The Dance in the Village Inn (Mephisto Waltz No 1)

    Orchestra: Orchestre de Paris – Philharmonie. Conductor: Georg Solti.
    • Deutsche Grammophone.

  • Roderick Williams

    Ave Verum Corpus Re-imagined

    Ensemble: Corvus Consort. Ensemble: Ferio Saxophone Quartet. Conductor: Freddie Crowley.
    • Chandos.

  • Johannes Brahms

    3 Hungarian dances [nos 5-7], arr. for orchestra [orig. pf. duet]: no.7 in F ...

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Director: Claudio Abbado.
    • DG.

  • Darius Milhaud

    Scaramouche Op.165b (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Katia Labèque. Performer: Marielle Labèque.
    • Poulenc: Music for 2 Pianos: Katia & Marielle Labeque.
    • Philips.
    • 10.

Broadcast

  • Wednesday09:30
    BBC Radio 3