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The very best of classical music

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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11 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Wed 17 Dec 2025 09:30
麻豆社 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Peter Maxwell Davies

    Farewell to Stromness

    Music Arranger: Timothy Walker. Performer: Sean Shibe.
    • An Orkney Wedding.
    • LINN.
    • 8.

  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    Symphony no.7 in D minor Op.70 (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iv谩n Fischer.
    • Dvorak:Symphony no. 7 Suite in A major,Budapest Festival Orchestra,Ivan Fischer.
    • Channel Classics.
    • 3.

  • Claude Balbastre

    Ou s'en vont ces gais bergers?

    Performer: Marie鈥怌laire Alain.
    • Daquin/Balbastre/Noels A L'orgue d'uzes/Christmas Organ Music Marie-Claire Alain.
    • Erato.
    • 11.

  • John Adams

    Short Ride in a Fast Machine

    Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.
    • Adams: The Shaker Loops/The Wound Dresser: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Alsop.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.

  • Fanny Mendelssohn

    6 Character pieces (No.5)

    Performer: B茅atrice Rauchs.
    • BIS.

  • Leopold Mozart

    Sinfonia Pastorella (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Camerata Bern. Conductor: J贸zef Brejza.
    • In Praise of the Alphorn.
    • Claves Records.
    • 17.

  • Georg Muffat

    Concerto grosso no 2 in A major 'Cor vigilans'

    Orchestra: Holland Baroque Society. Director: Matthew Halls.
    • Georg Muffat: Holland Baroque Society meets Matthew Halls.
    • Channel Classics.
    • 22-27.

  • Angela Morley

    Snow Ride

    Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • The Film & Television Music Of Angela Morley.
    • Vocalion.
    • 8.

  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Waltz in B minor Op.69`2

    Performer: Maria Jo茫o Pires.
    • ERATO.

  • Leonard Bernstein

    Prelude, Fugue and Riffs

    Performer: Benny Goodman. Ensemble: Columbia Jazz Band. Conductor: Leonard Bernstein.
    • Sony.

  • John Rutter

    What sweeter music (5 Meditations)

    Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia. Conductor: Daniel Hyde.
    • John Rutter: Five Meditations for Orchestra, I. What Sweeter Music.
    • King鈥檚 College.
    • 10.

  • Claude Debussy

    Tarantelle Styrienne

    Orchestrator: Maurice Ravel. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Geoffrey Simon.
    • Cala.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Cello Concerto in C major H.7b.1 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Sol Gabetta. Orchestra: Kammerorchester Basel. Conductor: Sergio Ciomei.
    • RCA.

  • Kerry Andrew

    Apples, Plums, Cherries

    Choir: Juice Vocal Ensemble.
    • Snow Queens.
    • Resonus Classics.
    • 1.

  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Africa Op.89

    Performer: Romain Descharmes. Orchestra: Malm枚 SymfoniOrkester. Conductor: Marc Soustrot.
    • Saint-Sa毛ns: Piano Concertos, Vol. 2.
    • Naxos.
    • 301.

  • Franz Xaver Gruber

    Silent Night

    Music Arranger: Matthew Knight. Ensemble: Septura.
    • Christmas with Septura.
    • Naxos.

  • Trad.

    Five sheep, four goats

    Music Arranger: Danish String Quartet. Performer: Mads la Cour. Ensemble: Danish String Quartet.
    • dacapo.

  • Richard Strauss

    Alpine Symphony Op 64 (On the summit)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.
    • Strauss, Eine Alpensinfonie: LSO.
    • LSO Live.
    • 12.

  • Sam Fonteyn

    Pop Looks Bach [Ski Sunday theme]

    Ensemble: London Music Works.
    • Alan Partridge - Alpha Papa.
    • Rhino.
    • 19.

  • Darius Milhaud

    Brazileira (Scaramouche)

    Performer: Jess Gillam. Performer: Andee Birkett. Performer: Zeynep 脰zsuca. Ensemble: Tippett Quartet.
    • Decca Classics.

  • Guillaume Bouzignac

    No茅, No茅! Pastores cantate domino

    Lyricist: Anonymous. Singer: Hazel Holt. Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington. Choir: Sch眉tz Choir of London. Singer: Hazel Holt. Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington. Choir: Sch眉tz Choir of London.
    • Glad Tidings! A Baroque Christmas.
    • Eloquence.
    • 5.

  • Samuel Barber

    Adagio for Strings

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Dance of the Blessed Spirits.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 51.

  • Trad.

    Sans Day Carol

    Music Arranger: Graham Fitkin. Performer: Ruth Wall.
    • The Three Harps of Christmas.
    • GFR.
    • 5.

  • Frederick Delius

    North Country Sketches (Dance)

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Charles Groves.
    • EMI.

  • Dieterich Buxtehude

    Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, o Herr BuxWV.41

    Ensemble: Ensemble Correspondances. Director: S茅bastien Dauc茅.
    • Septem Verba & Membra Jesu Nostri.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 12.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    String Quartet in D major K.575 (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Hagen Quartett.
    • Mozart: String Quartets KV 421 & 575.
    • DG.
    • 5.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Egmont Op.84 (Overture)

    Orchestra: Sim贸n Bol铆var Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel.
    • Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 'Eroica'/Prometheus/Egmont.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 6.

  • Johann Pachelbel

    Jauchzet dem Herrn

    Ensemble: Les Agr茅mens. Conductor: Jean Tub茅ry.
    • German Sacred Baroque Music - Christmas.
    • Ricercar.
    • 1.

  • Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

    Symphony in D major Wq.183 no.1

    Orchestra: Berlin Academy for Early Music. Conductor: Hans-Christoph Rademann.
    • C P E Bach 鈥� Magnificat.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 12-14.

Broadcast

  • Wed 17 Dec 2025 09:30
    麻豆社 Radio 3