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A feast of great music

Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.

Ian Skelly 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'.

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Fri 28 Nov 2025 09:30
麻豆社 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    Slavonic Dances, Series I, B. 83: No. 8 in G Minor, Furiant. Presto

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Dvo艡谩k: Slavonic Dances.
    • Pentatone.
    • 108.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Trio in A minor: IV. Final: Anim茅

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.
    • Onyx.

  • Georges Bizet

    Symphony in C major (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Fran莽ois Leleux.
    • LINN.

  • Ruth Gipps

    Cool Running Water, Op. 77

    Performer: Robert Plane. Performer: Benjamin Frith.
    • MPR.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Mass in B minor BWV.232 (Sanctus)

    Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
    • Bach: Mass in B Minor.
    • SDG.
    • 9.

  • Percy Grainger

    Handel in the Strand

    Performer: Geoffrey Tozer. Orchestra: City of London Sinfonia. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Grainger Edition Vol. 5 Works for Chorus and Orchestra 2.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 016.

  • George Frideric Handel

    'Fu scherzo, fu gioco' (Aminta e Fillide, HWV 83)

    Performer: Emmanuelle Ha茂m. Singer: Lea Desandre. Ensemble: Le Concert d鈥橝str茅e.
    • Erato.

  • Franz Liszt

    Tarantella (Venezia e Napoli)

    Performer: Benjamin Grosvenor.
    • Homages.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 12.

  • Ferdinand H茅rold

    Clog Dance; Dance of the Cock and Hens (La Fille Mal Gard茅e)

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.
    • EMI.

  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Serenade, Op 15 (vers. for orchestra)

    Orchestra: Euskadiko Orkestra Sinfonikoa. Conductor: Jun M盲rkl.
    • Saint-Sa毛ns: Orchestral Works.
    • Naxos.
    • 15.

  • Henryk Wieniawski

    Polonaise no. 1 in D major Op.4

    Performer: Nicola Benedetti. Performer: Pl铆nio Fernandes. Performer: Samuele Telari. Performer: Thomas Carroll. Music Arranger: Steve Goss.
    • Decca.

  • Morten Lauridsen

    O Magnum Mysterium

    Choir: VOCES8.
    • Eventide (10th Anniversary Edition).
    • Decca.
    • 14.

  • Mikhail Erdenko

    Kol nidrei, Op. 3

    Performer: Roman Mints. Performer: Ksenia Bashmet. Music Arranger: Mikhail Erdenko.
    • Quartz.

  • Nadia Boulanger

    Les Heures claires: II. Avec mes sens, avec mon c艙ur

    Composer: Raoul Pugno. Performer: Tristan Ra毛s. Singer: Cyrille Dubois.
    • Lili et Nadia Boulanger: M茅lodies.
    • 础辫补谤迟茅.
    • 115.

  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    Symphony no.6 in B Minor 'Path茅tique' (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: MusicAeterna. Conductor: Teodor Currentzis.
    • Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 "Path茅tique".
    • Sony Classical.
    • 3.

  • Fanny Mendelssohn

    Easter Sonata: I. Allegro assai moderato

    Performer: Isata Kanneh鈥怣ason.
    • Mendelssohn.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..

  • Eric Coates

    London (London every day) - suite (Knightsbridge)

    Orchestra: 麻豆社 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • The Symphonic Eric Coates.
    • Chandos.
    • 9.

  • Manning Sherwin

    A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square

    Music Arranger: Regis Danillon. Performer: Piers Lane.
    • Piers Lane goes to town.
    • HYPERION.
    • 11.

  • Frederick Loewe

    My Fair Lady, Act I Scene 8: On the Street Where You Live

    Lyricist: Alan Jay Lerner. Conductor: John Wilson. Orchestra: Sinfonia of London.
    • Lerner & Loewe: My Fair Lady.
    • Chandos.
    • 124.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816: III. Sarabande

    Performer: Martin Fr枚st. Performer: Jonas Nordberg. Music Arranger: Martin Fr枚st.
    • B.A.C.H..
    • Sony Classical.
    • 7.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15: II. Largo

    Performer: Krystian Zimerman. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Domenico Scarlatti

    Sonata in D minor, K. 77

    Performer: Ksenija Sidorova.
    • Ksenija Sidorova - Classical Accordion.
    • Champs Hill.
    • 3.

  • Robert Schumann

    Concertst眉ck for Four Horns and Orchestra, Op. 86: I. Lebhaft

    Performer: Martin Owen. Performer: Alec Frank-Gemmill. Performer: Sarah Willis. Performer: Chris Parkes. Orchestra: 麻豆社 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Martin Owen Plays Strauss, Schumann & Weber.
    • Chandos.
    • 101.

  • Luise Adolpha Le Beau

    Cello Sonata in D Major, Op. 17: I. Allegro molto

    Performer: Raphaela Gromes. Performer: Julian Riem.
    • Fortissima.
    • Sony Classical/Sony Music.
    • 11.

  • Caroline Shaw

    And the swallow

    Conductor: Paul Hillier. Choir: Ars Nova Copenhagen.
    • ...and....
    • Naxos.
    • 1.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Concerto No 21 in C major, K 467 (2nd mvt, Andante)

    Performer: Maria Jo茫o Pires. Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Mozart; Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Maria Pires - Piano.
    • DGG.
    • 5.

  • Edvard Grieg

    4 Symphonic Dances, Op 64 (No 3, Allegro giocoso)

    Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No. 5 in E flat (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Santtu鈥怣atias Rouvali.
    • Alpha.

Broadcast

  • Fri 28 Nov 2025 09:30
    麻豆社 Radio 3