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Great classical music for your morning

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

Tue 21 Oct 2025 09:30

Music Played

  • Henry Litolff

    Concerto Symphonique no.4 in D minor, Op.102 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Peter Donohoe. Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Litton.
    • Hyperion.
  • Nicola Antonio Porpora

    Lucio Papirio: "Morte Amara"

    Singer: Simone Kermes. Orchestra: Le Musiche Nove. Conductor: Claudio Osele.
    • Lava - Opera Arias From 18th Century Naples.
    • Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.
    • 2.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No.104 in D major, 'London' (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
    • L'OISEAU LYRE.
  • Jacques Ibert

    3 Pieces breves for wind quintet: No 1

    Performer: Les Vents Fran莽ais.
    • Warner Classics.
  • Louise Farrenc

    Symphony no.1 in C minor, Op.32 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: European Soloists, Luxembourg. Conductor: Christoph K枚nig.
    • Naxos.
  • Marin Marais

    Les Voix Humaines

    Performer: Jordi Savall.
    • Les Voix Humaines.
    • Alia Vox.
    • 7.
  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    Serenade for Strings, Op 48 (Finale - Tema Russo)

    Ensemble: Scottish Ensemble. Director: Jonathan Morton.
    • Linn.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    I waited for the Lord (Symphony No 2 'Hymn of Praise')

    Performer: Iain Simcock. Singer: Mark Kennedy. Singer: Eamonn O鈥橠wyer. Choir: Westminster Cathedral Choir. Conductor: James O鈥橠onnell.
    • HYPERION.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No 7 in A major, Op 92 (2nd mvt)

    Conductor: Carlos Kleiber. Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic.
    • Beethoven, Symphony no. 5 and no. 7: Vienna Philharmonic.
    • DGG.
  • Barbara

    Ma plus belle histoire d'amour

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud.
    • ERATO.
  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Violin Concerto No 1 in D major (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Lisa Batiashvili. Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Conductor: Yannick N茅zet鈥怱茅guin.
    • DG.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Concerto Grosso in C major, HWV 318, 'Alexander's Feast' (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Berlin Academy for Early Music.
    • Handel: Ombra mai fu: Andreas Scholl/Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
  • Francis Poulenc

    3 Mouvements Perpetuels (no.1)

    Performer: Pascal Rog茅.
    • Poulenc Les Soirees De Nazelles 3 Mouvments Perpetuels 3 Novlettes 9 Improvisati.
    • Decca.
  • Richard Wagner

    Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey (G枚tterd盲mmerung)

    Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra. Conductor: George Szell.
    • Szell Conducts Wagner: Great Orchestral Highlights from the Ring of the Nibelung.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 5.
  • Franz Schubert

    Arpeggione Sonata, D 821 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Lise Berthaud. Performer: Fran莽ois Pinel.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542: Fugue

    Performer: Simon Preston.
    • DG.
  • Francis Poulenc

    La voix humaine (conclusion)

    Composer: Jean Cocteau. Conductor: Alexandre Bloch. Singer: V茅ronique Gens. Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lille.
    • Poulenc: La Voix Humaine.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 21.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Violin Concerto in A minor (1st mvt)

    Music Arranger: Bobby McFerrin. Singer: Bobby McFerrin. Orchestra: Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
    • Paper Music.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 9.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Vocalise

    Singer: Ren茅e Fleming. Conductor: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Jeffrey Tate.
    • Decca.
  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Tarantelle Op.6

    Performer: Clara Novakova. Performer: Richard Vieille. Orchestra: Ensemble orchestral de Paris. Conductor: Jean鈥怞acques Kantorow.
    • Saint-Saens: La Muse et le Poete etc: Kantorow.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 3.
  • H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult

    脡tude no.41 in E flat major

    Performer: Clare Hammond.
    • H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult: 脡tudes.
    • BIS.
    • 108.
  • Jean鈥怭hilippe Rameau

    Tristes apprets (Castor et Pollux)

    Singer: Nadine Koutcher. Orchestra: MusicAeterna. Conductor: Teodor Currentzis.
    • Sony.
  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold

    Symphonic Serenade, Op 39 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Metamorphosen.
    • Chandos.
    • 304.
  • Robert Schumann

    Tr盲umerei (Kinderszenen Op.15)

    Performer: Marc鈥怉ndr茅 Hamelin.
    • Schumann - Kinderszenen & Waldszenen; Janacek - On the overgrown path I..
    • HYPERION.
    • 26.
  • William Walton

    Viola Concerto

    Performer: Lawrence Power. Orchestra: 麻豆社 Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Ilan Volkov.
    • Rubbra & Walton: Viola Concertos.
    • Hyperion.
    • 3.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Waltz 2 (Suite no.2 for jazz band)

    Orchestra: Russian State Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Dmitry Yablonsky.
    • NAXOS.
  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Trumpet Concerto in D major, TWV.51:D7

    Performer: Friedemann Immer. Orchestra: Musica Antiqua K枚ln. Director: Reinhard Goebel.
    • Concertos for Wind Instruments: Musica Antiqua Koln/Goebel.
    • Archiv Produktion.
    • 12.
  • Amy Beach

    Piano Trio in A minor Op.150 (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Gould Piano Trio.
    • Resonus.
  • Henry Walford Davies

    God be in my head

    Choir: The Cambridge Singers. Conductor: John Rutter.
    • Collegium Records.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto no.2 in B flat major Op.19 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Paul Lewis. Orchestra: 麻豆社 Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Ji艡铆 B臎lohl谩vek.
    • Beethoven Complete Piano Concertos Lewis - Belohlavek.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 6.

Broadcast

  • Tue 21 Oct 2025 09:30