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Relax into the day with classical

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 a masterpiece.

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5 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Tue 8 Sep 202609:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Mikado (Overture)

    Performer: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • Gilbert and Sullivan Overtures.
    • Philips.
    • 5.

  • Barbara Strozzi

    "Mentita", Op.6 (instrumental version)

    Ensemble: Ensemble Poïesis.
    • Barbara Strozzi.
    • Aeon.
    • 10.

  • Hector Berlioz

    Le Carnaval romain - overture (Op.9)

    Orchestra: Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. Conductor: Rafael Payare.
    • Berlioz: Le Carnaval Romain & Symphonie Fantastique.
    • PENTATONE.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony no.39 in E flat major K.543 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphonies 38 - 41 Scottish Chamber Orchestra Sir Charle.
    • Linn.
    • 7.

  • Bohuslav Martinů

    Le Jazz

    Choir: Sbor Lubomíra Pánka. Orchestra: Prague Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Zbyněk Vostřák.
    • Supraphon.

  • Peter Warlock

    Capriol Suite

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Clio Gould.
    • English String Classics 2: Vaughan Williams/Warlock/Tippet/Elgar etc.
    • Warner Apex.
    • 7.

  • Trad.

    Pizzica di San Vito

    Music Arranger: Christina Pluhar. Singer: Vincenzo Capezzuto. Ensemble: L’Arpeggiata. Director: Christina Pluhar.
    • VIRGIN CLASSICS.

  • Johann Strauss II

    The Blue Danube

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Mariss Jansons.
    • SONY.

  • Orlande de Lassus

    Officium pro omnibus fidelibus defunctis LV 624; Introitus

    Choir: Vox Luminis. Conductor: Lionel Meunier.
    • RICERCAR.

  • Elena Kats‐Chernin

    Ornamental Air (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Michael Collins. Orchestra: Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Collins.
    • Mozart/Copland/Kats-Chernin: Works for Clarinet and Orchestra: Michael Collins.
    • Chandos.
    • 8.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in C major, RV 558, 'con molti strumenti'

    Ensemble: Europa Galante. Conductor: Fabio Biondi.
    • Vivaldi: Concerti Per Mandolini: Europa Galante.
    • Virgin Veritas.
    • 1.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Prelude in D flat major, Op 28 No 15, 'Raindrop'

    Performer: Alban Gerhardt. Performer: Cécile Licad. Music Arranger: Pau Casals.
    • Encores as performed by Pablo Casals: Gerhardt/Licad.
    • Hyperion.
    • 17.

  • Hugo Alfvén

    Swedish rhapsody no.2 Op.24

    Orchestra: Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Petri Sakari.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Alberto Ginastera

    Malambo (Estancia Op.8a)

    Orchestra: Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel.
    • 111 Years Of Deutsche Grammophon The Collector's Edition Vol.2.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 1.

  • Simon Jeffes

    Music for a found harmonium

    Ensemble: Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
    • EMI.

  • Anna Meredith

    Nautilus

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Dalia Stasevska.
    • Platoon.

  • Jacques Ibert

    Divertissement

    Conductor: Jean Martinon. Orchestra: Orchestre du Conservatoire de Paris.
    • Ibert: Divertissement / Bizet: Jeux D'Enfants - Paris Conservatoire Orchestra, M.
    • Decca.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Brandenburg Concerto No 5 in D major, BWV 1050 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Stephen Preston. Performer: Catherine Mackintosh. Performer: Christopher Hogwood. Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Director: Christopher Hogwood.
    • J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 1-6: Academy of Ancient Music/Hogwood.
    • L'Oiseau-Lyre.
    • 4.

  • Ethel Smyth

    Symphonic Serenade (Finale)

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Odaline de la Martínez.
    • Chandos.

  • Jean-Baptiste Cupis

    Violin Sonata in D Major, Op. 2 No. 1: II. Grave - Andante

    Performer: Théotime Langlois de Swarte. Performer: William Christie.
    • Le Violon de Rameau.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 102.

  • Claude Debussy

    La cathédrale engloutie

    Orchestrator: Henry Wood. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Braithwaite.
    • Orchestrations by Sir Henry Wood: London Philharmonic Orchestra/Braithwaite.
    • Lyrita.
    • 6.

  • Richard Strauss

    Burlesque in D minor for piano and orchestra

    Performer: Jean‐Yves Thibaudet. Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt.
    • Strauss, R.: Rosenkavalier Waltzes, Burleske.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 1.

  • Anna Thorvaldsdottir

    Heyr þú oss himnum á [Hear us in the heavens]

    Choir: Schola Cantorum Reykjavicensis. Conductor: Hörður Áskelsson.
    • Meditatio: Music for Mixed Choir.
    • BIS.
    • 10.

  • Niccolò Paganini

    Violin Concerto No 2 in B minor, Op 7 'La campanella' (3rd mvt, Rondo)

    Performer: Rudolf Koelman. Orchestra: Netherlands Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jan Willem de Vriend.
    • Challenge Classics.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Saul: Symphony

    Orchestra: Concerto Köln. Conductor: René Jacobs.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Béla Bartók

    Romanian Folk Dances Sz.56

    Performer: Kathryn Stott.
    • Dance: Works for piano: Kathryn Stott.
    • Chandos.
    • 5.

  • Frederick Delius

    On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring

    Orchestra: Manchester Camerata. Conductor: John Rutter.
    • Classical Tranquillity.
    • Collegium.
    • 3.

Broadcast

  • Tue 8 Sep 202609:30
    BBC Radio 3