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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 a masterpiece.

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11 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Wed 9 Sep 202609:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Brindisi (La Traviata)

    Singer: Angela Gheorghiu. Singer: Roberto Alagna. Choir: London Voices. Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Verdi per due.
    • EMI CLASSICS.
    • 19.

  • Amy Beach

    Dreaming

    Performer: Judith Herbert. Performer: Diana Ambache.
    • Beach: Violin Sonata Etc. - Ambache.
    • Chandos.
    • 7.

  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Violin Concerto No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 61, R. 198: I. Allegro non troppo

    Performer: James Ehnes. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Juanjo Mena.
    • Lalo, Saint-Saens & Sarasate: Violin Concertos.
    • CHANDOS RECORDS LTD.
    • 6.

  • Isaac Albéniz

    Triana (from Iberia)

    Performer: Yuja Wang.
    • Fantasia.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 7.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen (St Matthew Passion, BWV 244)

    Ensemble: Pygmalion. Conductor: Raphaël Pichon. Choir: Maîtrise de Radio France.
    • JS Bach: Matthäus-Passion.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Ennio Morricone

    Cinema Paradiso (Main Theme)

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Ennio Morricone.
    • Reel Chill The Cinematic Chillout Album CD1.
    • EMI.
    • 12.

  • Reynaldo Hahn

    Piano Quartet No. 3 in G Major: IV. Allegro assai

    Performer: Benjamin Baker. Performer: Adam Newman. Performer: Tim Lowe. Performer: James Baillieu.
    • Champs Hill.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Sinfonia Concertante in E flat major, KV 297b (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Kammerorchester Basel. Conductor: Umberto Benedetti Michelangeli.
    • Sony.

  • Claude Debussy

    En bateau (Petite suite)

    Orchestrator: Henri Büsser. Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lyon. Conductor: Jun Märkl.
    • The Essential Debussy.
    • Naxos.
    • 1001.

  • Orlande de Lassus

    Agnus Dei from 5 part Requiem

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

  • Gustav Holst

    Cotswold symphony H.47 (Elegy in memoriam William Morris)

    Orchestra: Ulster Orchestra. Conductor: JoAnn Falletta.
    • Naxos.

  • Elena Kats‐Chernin

    Butterflying

    Performer: Nicola Sweeney. Performer: Sarah Nicolls.
    • Kats-Chernin: Ragtime and Blue.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 13.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58: I. Allegro moderato

    Performer: Melvyn Tan. Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington. Orchestra: London Classical Players.
    • Beethoven: The 5 Piano Concertos.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 6.

  • Ken Burton

    Many are the wonders

    Choir: ORA. Conductor: Suzi Digby.
    • Many are the Wonders.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 12.

  • Harold Arlen

    The Man That Got Away

    Lyricist: Ira Gershwin. Singer: Judy Garland.
    • A Star Is Born (Remastered).
    • Avid Entertainment.
    • 6.

  • Luis Bacalov

    Il Postino (Music from the film)

    • Il Postino (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Creazioni Artistiche Musicali.
    • 1.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Concerto no.21 in C major K.467 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Jonathan Biss. Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Mozart: Piano Concertos 21 & 22: Jonathan Bliss/Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 2.

  • Léo Delibes

    Waltz (Coppelia)

    Orchestra: Les Siècles. Conductor: François‐Xavier Roth.
    • Bru Zane.

  • Johann David Heinichen

    Dresden Concerto in F major, S.234

    Orchestra: Musica Antiqua Köln. Conductor: Reinhard Goebel.
    • ARCHIV.

  • Samuel Coleridge‐Taylor

    Piano quintet in G minor Op.1 (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.
    • Coleridge-Taylor: Piano Quintet, Clarinet Quintet.
    • HYPERION.
    • 4.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Adagietto from Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor

    Conductor: Philipp von Steinaecker. Orchestra: Mahler Academy Orchestra.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 5 on Period Instruments.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 4.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Gloria in D Major, RV 589

    Singer: Emma Kirkby. Singer: Tessa Bonner. Singer: Michael Chance. Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Vivaldi: Gloria & Bach: Magnificat.
    • Chandos.

  • Roman Hoffstetter

    String Quartet in F major Op.3`5 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Guildhall String Ensemble. Director: Robert Salter.
    • Pachelbel/Vivaldi/Handel/Haydn: Strings: Guildhall String Ensemble.
    • RCA.
    • 7.

  • Dora Bright

    Piano Concerto No 1 in A minor (2nd mvt, Intermezzo)

    Performer: Samantha Ward. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Peebles.
    • Somm.

  • Giovanni Gabrieli

    Canzon a 10 [1597 no.9]

    Ensemble: Gabrieli Players. Director: Paul McCreesh.
    • Signum.

  • Amilcare Ponchielli

    Dance of the Hours (La Gioconda)

    Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Georg Solti.
    • Decca.

Broadcast

  • Wed 9 Sep 202609:30
    BBC Radio 3