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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 an orchestral masterpiece.

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3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Thu 11 Dec 2025 09:30
麻豆社 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Johannes Brahms

    Hungarian Dance No 6 in D major

    Orchestrator: Albert Parlow. Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iv谩n Fischer.
    • DECCA.

  • Giovanni Gabrieli

    Symphoniae Sacrae: Magnificat a 14

    Choir: Ex Cathedra Choir. Orchestra: Ex Cathedra Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Jeffrey Skidmore.
    • Alto.

  • Louise Farrenc

    Clarinet Trio in E flat major Op.44 (4th mvt)

    Performer: Daniel Ottensamer. Performer: Stephan Koncz. Performer: Christoph Traxler.
    • The Clarinet Trio Anthology.
    • Decca.
    • 36.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Pezzo capriccioso, Op. 62, TH 62

    Performer: Narek Hakhnazaryan. Orchestra: Wiener Symphoniker. Conductor: Tigran Hakhnazaryan.
    • Chant du menestrel.
    • Ars Produktion.
    • 3.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Brandenburg Concerto no.3 in G major BWV.1048 (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Dunedin Consort. Conductor: John Butt.
    • Six Brandenburg Concertos.
    • Linn.
    • 8.

  • Fazil Say

    陌stanbul'da Bir K谋艧 Sabah谋, Op. 51 (Winter morning in Istanbul)

    Performer: Jamal Aliyev. Performer: Fazil Say.
    • Hayat A臒ac谋.
    • Say Productions.
    • 13.

  • Carl Orff

    Carmina burana - cantiones profanae: no.1; O Fortuna

    Choir: Orfe贸n Pamplon茅s. Choir: Escolan铆a de Nuestra Se帽ora de los Desamparados. Orchestra: Orquesta de Valencia. Conductor: Alexander Liebreich.
    • Accentus Music.

  • Manuel de Falla

    El Sombrero de Tres Picos: VIII. Danza Final (Jota)

    Orchestra: Real Filharmon铆a de Galicia. Conductor: Antoni Ros鈥怣arb脿.
    • Falla: El Sombrero de Tres Picos - El Fuego Fatuo.
    • Claves Records.
    • 8.

  • Jos茅 Feliciano & Jools Holland

    Feliz Navidad

    • The Vienna Berlin Music Club (Vol. 1).
    • Universal Music GmbH.
    • 8.

  • Paul Hindemith

    Symphonic Metamorphosis after Themes by Carl Maria von Weber: IV. Marsch

    Orchestra: Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic. Conductor: Sascha Goetzel.
    • Onyx.

  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Minor, Op. 65: II. Scherzo. Allegro con brio

    Performer: Sol Gabetta. Performer: Bertrand Chamayou.
    • The Chopin Album.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 2.

  • Trad.

    In Dulci Jubilo

    Music Arranger: Clarice Assad. Ensemble: Mir贸 Quartet.
    • Pentatone.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in C major for 2 trumpets RV.537

    Performer: H氓kan Hardenberger. Performer: Reinhold Friedrich. Orchestra: I Musici.
    • Philips.

  • Richard Strauss

    Oboe Concerto in D Major: III. Vivace

    Performer: Cristina G贸mez Godoy. Conductor: Daniel Barenboim. Orchestra: West鈥揈astern Divan Orchestra.
    • Mozart & Strauss: Oboe Concertos.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 6.

  • Manuel de Zumaya

    Celebren, publiquen

    Ensemble: Die K枚lner Akademie. Conductor: Michael Alexander Willens.
    • 隆Feliz Navidad!: Mexican Baroque Music for Christmas.
    • CPO.
    • 109.

  • Henry Litolff

    Concerto Symphonique no.4 Op.102 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Yuja Wang. Orchestra: San Francisco Symphony. Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas.
    • AVIE.

  • Florence Price

    Piano Quintet in A minor (4th mvt: Scherzo)

    Performer: Marc鈥怉ndr茅 Hamelin. Ensemble: Tak谩cs Quartet.
    • Dvo艡谩k & Price: Piano Quintets.
    • Hyperion.
    • 4.

  • Albert Ket猫lbey

    In a Persian Market

    Choir: Ambrosian Singers. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: John Lanchbery.
    • Ketelbey: In a Monastery Garden etc.: John Lanchbery/Anatole Fistoulari.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 1.

  • Trad.

    Madre de la gracia (I. Levy III.29)

    Performer: Haroun Teboul. Performer: Gaguik Mouradian. Ensemble: Hesp猫rion XXI. Director: Jordi Savall.
    • Istanbul.
    • Alia Vox.
    • 13.

  • Richard Strauss

    Morgen, Op.27 no.4

    Singer: Jessye Norman. Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Kurt Masur.
    • PHILLIPS.

  • Franz Schubert

    Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, D. 485: IV. Allegro vivace

    Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Maxim Emelyanychev.
    • Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 8.
    • Linn Records.
    • 4.

  • Chilly Gonzales

    All I Want For Christmas Is You

    • A very chilly christmas.
    • Gentle Threat LTD.
    • 9.

  • Georges Bizet

    Chanson boh猫me (Carmen)

    Music Arranger: Robert Sadin. Performer: Ksenija Sidorova. Orchestra: The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Sascha Goetzel.
    • Carmen.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 4.

  • William Grant Still

    Mother and Child (Suite for violin and piano)

    Performer: Randall Goosby. Performer: Zhu Wang.
    • Decca.

  • Adolphe Adam

    O Holy Night

    Performer: Black Dyke Band. Music Arranger: Darrol Barry. Conductor: Nicholas Childs.
    • Christmas with Black Dyke.
    • ObrassoRecords.
    • 3.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Daphnis and Chloe (extract)

    Performer: Adam Walker. Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Ravel: Daphnis et Chlo茅 (Complete Ballet).
    • Chandos.
    • 112.

  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    La Jeunesse d'Hercule, Op. 50

    Orchestra: Les Si猫cles. Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth.
    • Saint-Sa毛ns: Symphonic Poems - Le Carnaval des animaux - L'Assassinat du duc de.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 2.

  • Asprilio Pacelli

    Beata es Virgo Maria

    Conductor: Eamonn Dougan. Orchestra: The Sixteen Orchestra. Ensemble: The Sixteen.
    • The Polish Collection.
    • CORO.
    • 19.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano sonata No 11 in A major, K 331 (3rd mvt, 'Alla Turca')

    Performer: Elisabeth Leonskaja.
    • Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K. 331, "Alla Turca": III. Alla Turca.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 1.

  • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

    Christmas Overture (The Forest of Wild Thyme Op.74)

    Music Arranger: Sydney Baynes. Orchestra: 麻豆社 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.
    • The Night Before Christmas.
    • Naxos.
    • 2.

  • Alexander Glazunov

    Novelettes, Op.15: No.5 All'Ungherese

    Ensemble: Vertavo Quartet.
    • SIMAX.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    The Pines of the Appian Way (Pines of Rome)

    Orchestra: Orchestra of the Academy of Santa Cecilia, Rome. Conductor: Sir Antonio Pappano.
    • Respighi: Fontane di Roma, Pina di Roma, Feste Romane & Il Tramonto.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 8.

Broadcast

  • Thu 11 Dec 2025 09:30
    麻豆社 Radio 3