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Your perfect classical playlist

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

Ian Skelly 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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28 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Yesterday09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Jules Massenet

    Meditation (Thaïs)

    Performer: Nigel Kennedy. Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra.
    • Nigel Kennedy's Greatest Hits.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 2.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Études-Tableaux, Op. 39 - No. 5 in E-Flat Minor

    Performer: Yuja Wang.
    • Classics for Autumn: Rachmaninoff.
    • UME - Global Clearing House.
    • 186.

  • Frank Bridge

    The Sea (Moonlight)

    Performer: Janice Graham. Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Bridge: Orchestral Works: Hickox.
    • Chandos.
    • 11.

  • Madeleine Dring

    Italian Dance

    Performer: Tommy Reilly. Performer: Kaare Ørnung.
    • A Life in Music: Vintage Tommy Reilly.
    • Chandos.
    • 6.

  • Modest Mussorgsky

    A Night on the Bare Mountain

    Orchestra: Los Angeles Philharmonic. Conductor: André Previn.
    • Tchaikovsky/Smetana/Glinka/Moussorgsky: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orch/Previn.
    • Philips.
    • 4.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    Senza mamma [Angelica's 'prayer'] (Suor Angelica)

    Lyricist: Giovacchino Forzano. Singer: Kiri Te Kanawa. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Myung-Whun Chung.
    • Diva - Kiri Te Kanawa.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 6.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Rhosymedre (Three Preludes on Welsh Hymn Tunes)

    Performer: Philip Ledger.
    • Organ Music from King's.
    • EMI.
    • 4.

  • Pietro Locatelli

    Concerto grosso in F major Op.1`7

    Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Gottfried von der Goltz.
    • Harmonia mundi.

  • John Williams

    Superman March

    Performer: David Helbock. Music Arranger: David Helbock.
    • Act.

  • Astor Piazzolla

    Fracanapa

    Ensemble: duettango.
    • Big Round Records.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor Op. 16: II. Scherzo. Vivace

    Performer: Beatrice Rana. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Academy of Santa Cecilia, Rome. Conductor: Sir Antonio Pappano.
    • WARNER.

  • Rita Strohl

    Septet in C minor (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Shuichi Okada. Performer: Alexandre Pascal. Performer: Léa Hennino. Performer: Claudine Legras. Performer: Héloïse Luzzati. Performer: Lorraine Campet. Performer: Célia Oneto Bensaid.
    • Rita Strohl: Volume 2, Musique de chambre.
    • La Boîte à Pépites.
    • 7.

  • Edward Elgar

    Cockaigne (In London Town), Op. 40

    Orchestra: Hallé. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.
    • Halle.

  • Moses Hogan

    Elijah Rock

    Choir: Soloists, Chorus & Orchestra of the Plymouth Music Series. Conductor: Philip Brunelle.
    • COLLINS CLASSICS.

  • Eduard Bagdasarian

    Nocturne for Cello & Piano (Arr. for Cello & Orchestra)

    Performer: Narek Hakhnazaryan. Orchestra: Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.
    • Chant du menestrel.
    • Ars Produktion.
    • 10.

  • Jake Thackray

    Sister Josephine

    • The Very Best Of Jake Thackray.
    • Parlophone UK.
    • 8.

  • Brian Easdale

    Black Narcissus Suite: I. Main Titles and the Palace of Mopu

    Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Choir: BBC National Chorus of Wales. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • The Film Music of Brian Easdale.
    • Chandos.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Waft her, Angels (Jephtha)

    Singer: Allan Clayton. Orchestra: Classical Opera Company. Conductor: Ian Page.
    • Signum.

  • Claude Debussy

    Clair de lune (Suite bergamasque)

    Performer: Jean‐Yves Thibaudet.
    • Debussy: Images, Etudes etc.
    • Decca.
    • 3.

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Overture in D major, TWV.55:D18 (Ouverture)

    Orchestra: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin.
    • Telemann: Orchestral Suites.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 1.

  • Michael Giacchino

    Spider-Man: Brand New Day; Web Letter Days

    Performer: Michael Giacchino.
    • Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Sony Classical.
    • 1.

  • Michael Giacchino

    A Good Day to Dive (Spider-Man: Brand New Day)

    Performer: Michael Giacchino.
    • Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Sony Classical.
    • 2.

  • Errollyn Wallen

    Photography (Vivace)

    Orchestra: Orchestra X. Conductor: Nicholas Kok.
    • NMC.

  • Aram Khachaturian

    Masquerade Suite (Waltz)

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Khachaturian: Piano Concerto etc..
    • Chandos.
    • 4.

  • Josef Suk

    Quartet for Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello in A Minor, Op. 1

    Performer: Martin Helmchen. Performer: Antje Weithaas. Performer: Vicki Powell. Performer: Maximilian Hornung.
    • Dvorak & Suk: Trio & Quartet.
    • CAvi-music.
    • 105.

  • Franz Lehár

    Vilja's Lied (The Merry Widow)

    Singer: Lesley Garrett. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: Crouch End Festival Chorus. Conductor: James Holmes.
    • Lesley Garrett - Soprano in Red.
    • Silva Screen Records.
    • 14.

  • Henry Purcell

    The Fairy Queen (Act 4 Symphony)

    Ensemble: Gabrieli Players. Conductor: Paul McCreesh.
    • Purcell: The Fairy Queen, 1692.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 1.

  • Rebecca Clarke

    Midsummer Moon

    Performer: Jonathan Rees. Performer: Kathron Sturrock.
    • Rebecca Clarke.
    • Gamut Classics.
    • 7.

  • John Sheppard

    Verbum caro factum est

    Ensemble: Stile Antico.
    • Puer Natus Est, Tudor Music For Advent and Christmas: Stile Antico.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 12.

  • John Adams

    Short Ride in a Fast Machine

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Adams: Harmonielehre etc: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Rattle.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 6.

Broadcast

  • Yesterday09:30
    BBC Radio 3