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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 an orchestral masterpiece.

To listen on most smart speakers say "Ask 麻豆社 Sounds to play Essential Classics鈥

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Wed 15 Oct 2025 09:30

Music Played

  • Hugo Alfv茅n

    Shepherd Girl's Dance (The Mountain King - suite)

    Orchestra: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Magnus Ericsson.
    • BIS.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Horn Trio in E flat major Op.40 (4th mvt)

    Performer: Alec Frank-Gemmill. Performer: Benjamin Marquise Gilmore. Performer: Daniel Grimwood.
    • Brahms: Chamber Music.
    • BIS.
    • 304.
  • Amy Beach

    Berceuse (3 Pieces Op.40)

    Music Arranger: Stephan Koncz. Performer: Andreas Ottensamer. Orchestra: Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick N茅zet鈥怱茅guin.
    • DG.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Cantata BWV.169 'Gott soll allein mein Herze haben' (Sinfonia)

    Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan. Director: Masaaki Suzuki.
    • BIS.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Cello Concerto in D major, H VIIb 2

    Performer: Ralph Kirshbaum. Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Pinchas Zukerman.
    • RCA.
  • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

    By the lone seashore

    Choir: Choir of King鈥檚 College, London. Conductor: Joseph Fort.
    • Coleridge-Taylor: By the lone seashore.
    • Delphian Records.
    • 1.
  • Karl Goldmark

    Scherzo in E Minor, Op. 19

    Orchestra: Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fabrice Bollon.
    • Goldmark: Symphonic Poems, Vol. 1.
    • CPO.
    • 2.
  • Gabriel Faur茅

    Impromptu no.3 in A flat major Op.34

    Performer: Kathryn Stott.
    • Faure - The Complete Music for Piano.
    • Hyperion.
    • 3.
  • Dorothy Howell

    Two Pieces for Muted Strings

    Orchestra: 麻豆社 Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Collins.
  • Florence Price

    Hour of Peace

    Performer: Tom Winpenny.
    • Price: Organ Works.
    • Naxos.
    • 108.
  • Max Reger

    A Romantic Suite Op.125 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Staatskapelle Dresden. Conductor: Christian Thielemann.
    • Christian Thielemann - Staatskapelle Dresden: Ferruccio Busoni / Hans Pfitzner /.
    • Profil Medien.
    • 2.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Suite pour piano

    Performer: Pascal Rog茅.
    • DECCA.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No.8 in F major (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Danish National Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: 脕d谩m Fischer.
    • Beethoven: Complete Symphonies.
    • Naxos.
    • 401.
  • Bernhard Crusell

    Clarinet Quartet No 3 in D major, Op 7 (Finale)

    Performer: Eric Hoeprich. Ensemble: London Haydn Quartet.
    • GLOSSA.
  • Frederick Delius

    A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 2: Introduction

    Conductor: Mark Elder. Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Delius: A Mass of Life.
    • Lawo Classics.
    • 6.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Song without Words in E major, Op.19 no.1

    Performer: Daniel Barenboim.
    • Mendelssohn: Lieder Ohne Worte: Daniel Barenboim.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 19.
  • Grace Williams

    Calm Sea in Summer (Sea Sketches)

    Orchestra: 麻豆社 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Andrews.
    • Resonus.
  • John Ireland

    Sea Fever (Orchestrated by Roderick Williams)

    Singer: Roderick Williams. Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Mark Elder.
    • A Shropshire Lad: English Songs Orchestrated by Roderick Williams.
    • Halle Concerts Society.
    • 2.
  • Franz Schubert

    Impromptu in E flat major, D.899 no.2

    Performer: Imogen Cooper.
    • Schubert: The Last Six Years 1823-1828, Vol. 6; Imogen Cooper.
    • Ottavo.
    • 5.
  • Andrzej Panufnik

    Concerto Festivo (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andrzej Panufnik.
    • UNICORN-KANCHANA.
  • Jean Sibelius

    Menuetto

    Orchestra: Turku Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Leif Segerstam.
    • Sibelius: Belshazzar's Feast, Overture in E, Scene de Ballet and other works.
    • Naxos.
  • Errollyn Wallen

    Lively (Horseplay)

    Ensemble: Continuum. Conductor: Philip Headlam.
    • Wallen: The Girl in my Alphabet.
    • AVIE.
    • 9.
  • Hector Berlioz

    Hungarian March (The Damnation of Faust)

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Berlioz: The Damnation of Faust.
    • London Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • 103.
  • Franz Liszt

    Totentanz, S. 126/R. 457

    Performer: Jen艖 Jand贸. Conductor: Andr谩s Ligeti. Orchestra: Budapest Symphony Orchestra.
    • Liszt: The Piano Concertos - Fantasies for Piano and Orchestra.
    • CapriccioNR.
    • 4.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    5 Mystical Songs: No. 3, Love Bade Me Welcome

    Choir: London Choral Sinfonia. Conductor: Michael Waldron. Singer: Roderick Williams.
    • Colourise.
    • Orchid Classics.
    • 202.
  • Georges Bizet

    Jeux d'enfants, Op. 22, WD 56: No. 12, Le bal

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud. Performer: Martin James Bartlett.
    • Four Hands.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 22.
  • Helena Munktell

    Summer Night (finale of Dalecarlian Suite)

    Orchestra: G盲vle symfoniorkester. Conductor: Tobias Ringborg.
    • Sterling.
  • Jacques Offenbach

    Les Larmes De Jacqueline (Harmonies des bois)

    Performer: Sheku Kanneh鈥怣ason. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Mirga Gra啪inyt臈鈥怲yla.
    • Inspiration.
    • DECCA.
    • 9.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    String Quartet in B flat major, K 458, 'Hunt' (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Peter Cropper. Performer: Ronald Birks. Performer: Robin Ireland. Performer: Bernard Gregor-Smith. Ensemble: Lindsay String Quartet.
    • Mozart: Oboe Quartet/Horn Quintet: The Lindsays.
    • ASV.
    • 2.
  • Astor Piazzolla

    Libertango

    Performer: Ksenija Sidorova. Conductor: Clark Rundell. Orchestra: 麻豆社 National Orchestra of Wales.
    • Piazzolla Reflections.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 15.

Broadcast

  • Wed 15 Oct 2025 09:30