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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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25 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Wednesday09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Malcolm Arnold

    4 English Dances, Op 33 No 1

    Orchestra: Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Penny.
    • Arnold: Dances.
    • NAXOS.
    • 005.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    String Quartet in B flat major, Op 130 (5th mvt)

    Ensemble: Elias String Quartet.
    • Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets Volume 1.
    • WIGMORE HALL LIVE.
    • 5.

  • Cecilia McDowall

    Alma Redemptoris Mater

    Choir: ORA. Conductor: Suzi Digby.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Johann Strauss II

    Kaiser-Walzer, Op 437

    Music Arranger: Arnold Schoenberg. Ensemble: Linos Ensemble.
    • Capriccio.

  • Aaron Copland

    Barley Wagons (From of "Mice and Men")

    Conductor: Aaron Copland. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra.
    • The Copland Collection: Orchestral & Ballet Works 1936-1948.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 6.

  • Anon.

    Cachua

    Ensemble: Hespèrion XXI. Conductor: Jordi Savall.
    • Villancicos y danzas criollas 1550-1750: Hesperion XXI/Savall.
    • Alia Vox.
    • 10.

  • Lars‐Erik Larsson

    Little Serenade, Op.12

    Ensemble: Musica Vitae. Conductor: Wojciech Rajski.
    • Nordic Music Vol. 1.
    • BIS.
    • 5-8.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Berceuse in D flat major Op.57

    Performer: Benjamin Grosvenor.
    • Chopin: Berceuse in D-Flat Major, Op. 57.
    • Decca.
    • 1.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Five Greek Melodies (No 4 - Song of the Lentisk Gatherers)

    Performer: Sandrine Piau. Performer: David Kadouch.
    • ALPHA.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op 6 No 4

    Orchestra: Il Giardino Armonico. Director: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Handel: Twelve Concerti Grossi, Op.6 Il Giardino Armonico - Giovanni Antonini.
    • Decca.
    • 15.

  • Evelyn Glennie

    Light in darkness for marimba

    Performer: Evelyn Glennie.
    • RCA Red Seal.

  • George Gershwin

    Variations on 'I got rhythm' for piano and orchestra

    Performer: Mark Bebbington. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Leon Botstein.
    • Somm.

  • Isaac Albéniz

    Asturias (Leyenda)

    Music Arranger: Olivier Chassain. Performer: Thibaut Garcia.
    • Leyendas.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 101.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Humoresques Op.89 for violin and orchestra; no.3 in E flat major

    Performer: Fenella Humphreys. Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: George Vass.
    • Resonus.

  • Elmer Bernstein

    To kill a mockingbird (Main title)

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Elmer Bernstein.
    • Varese Sarabande.

  • Modest Mussorgsky

    Pictures at an Exhibition: IV. The Ox Cart/Bydlo

    Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Mussorgsky: Pictures Reframed.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 7.

  • Maurice Jarre

    Building The Barn (Witness)

    Performer: Chris Page. Performer: Ian Underwood. Performer: Clark Spangler. Performer: Michael Boddicker.
    • Witness (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Varese.
    • 5.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Slavonic Dance in C major Op.72 no.7

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Dvorak: Complete Slavonic Dances: RSNO, Jarvi.
    • Chandos.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Violin Sonata in G Major, K. 301

    • Mozart: The Complete Violin Sonatas.
    • Hyperion Records Limited.
    • 1.

  • Emilie Mayer

    Symphony no.1 in C minor (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Leo McFall.
    • Mayer: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2.
    • CPO.
    • 103.

  • Scott Joplin

    Solace

    Music Arranger: Itzhak Perlman. Performer: Itzhak Perlman. Performer: André Previn.
    • Joplin: The Easy Winner & Other Rag-Time Music.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 8.

  • Friedrich Robert Volkmann

    Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 53

    Orchestra: Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie. Conductor: Werner Andreas Albert.
    • Volkmann: Complete Orchestral Works.
    • CPO.
    • 201.

  • Peter Ludwig Hertel

    Clog Dance (La Fille mal gardée)

    Music Arranger: John Lanchbery. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: John Lanchbery.
    • Herold/Lecocq: La Fille mal gardee: Royal Opera House Orchestra/Lanchbery.
    • Decca.
    • 17.

  • John Coltrane

    Central Park West

    • Coltrane's Sound.
    • Rhino Atlantic.
    • 2.

  • Johann Christian Bach

    Quintet in F major Op 11 No 3

    Performer: Andreas Staier. Ensemble: Les Adieux.
    • Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach - Andreas Staier Edition.
    • Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.
    • 007.

  • Claudio Monteverdi

    Zefiro Torna, e 'l bel tempo rimena

    Choir: I Fagiolini. Conductor: I Fagiolini.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Augustin Hadelich. Orchestra: Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Conductor: Miguel Harth-Bedoya.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.

Broadcast

  • Wednesday09:30
    BBC Radio 3