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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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28 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Yesterday 09:30
麻豆社 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Aram Khachaturian

    Sabre Dance (Gayane)

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Aram Khachaturian.
    • Decca.

  • William Henry Harris

    Bring us, O Lord God

    Choir: Gabrieli Consort & Players. Conductor: Paul McCreesh.
    • The Road to Paradise.
    • DG.
    • 11.

  • Gioachino Rossini

    Introduction, theme and variations

    Performer: Martin Frost. Orchestra: Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Lan Shui.
    • BIS.

  • Elena Kats鈥怌hernin

    Green Leaf Prelude

    Performer: Nicola Sweeney. Performer: Sarah Nicolls.
    • Ragtime & Blue.
    • SIGNUM CLASSICS.
    • 2.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony no.101 in D major 'Clock' (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Haydn, 12 London Symphonies: Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre-Grenobles.
    • Naive.
    • 10.

  • Henry Purcell

    Sound The Trumpet (Come Ye Sons of Art, Z. 323)

    Singer: James Bowman. Singer: Michael Chance. Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
    • Purcell Essentials.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 12.

  • Malcolm Arnold

    Fantasy Op.114

    Ensemble: Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Conductor: Elgar Howarth.
    • CONIFER.

  • Trad.

    Scarborough Fair

    Performer: Yo鈥怸o Ma. Performer: Kathryn Stott. Music Arranger: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Songs of Comfort and Hope.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 12.

  • William Grant Still

    Land of romance (Africa)

    Orchestra: Fort Smith Symphony. Conductor: John Jeter.
    • William Grant Still: Afro-American Symphony/In Memoriam/Africa (Symphonic Poem).
    • NAXOS.

  • Peter Ludwig Hertel

    Clog Dance (La Fille mal gard茅e)

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.
    • Herold/Messager: La Fille mal gardee: Wordsworth/Lanchbery/Jacquillat.
    • EMI.
    • 14.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Bajazet, RV 703, Sinfonia

    Conductor: Pablo Valetti. Ensemble: Caf茅 Zimmermann.
    • Vivaldi: Masques.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 1.

  • Gustav Holst

    Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age (The Planets, Op 32)

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski.
    • London Philharmonic Orchestra - Holst The Planets - Vladimir Jurowski Conductor.
    • LPO.

  • Henry Purcell

    Sound The Trumpet (Come Ye Sons of Art, Z. 323)

    Singer: James Bowman. Singer: Michael Chance. Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
    • Purcell Essentials.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 12.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    String Quartet No 10 in E flat major, Op 74 'Harp'; iv.Allegretto con variazioni

    Ensemble: Quatuor 脡b猫ne.
    • Beethoven Around the World: Melbourne, String Quartets Nos 2, 10 & 11.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 12.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Vocalise Op.34 no.14

    Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iv谩n Fischer.
    • Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27, etc.: BFO, Fischer.
    • Channel Classics.
    • 5.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Orchestral Suite no.4 in D major BWV.1069 (Overture)

    Orchestra: Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Ton Koopman.
    • J.S. Bach, Orchestral Suites, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra / Ton Koopman.
    • RCA.
    • 8.

  • Annie Fortescue Harrison

    In the Gloaming

    Singer: Anthony Rolfe Johnson. Performer: Graham Johnson.
    • HYPERION.

  • Joe Oliver

    West End Blues

    Performer: Louis Armstrong. Ensemble: Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five.
    • Sony.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Eternal source of light (Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne)

    Singer: Robin Blaze. Performer: David Blackadder. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Stephen Cleobury.
    • Handel: Coronation Anthems: Choir of King's College Cambridge/Cleobury.
    • EMI.
    • 16.

  • Steve Reich

    Duet

    Performer: Daniel Hope. Performer: Simos Papanas. Orchestra: Kammerorchester Basel.
    • My Tribute to Yehudi Menuhin.
    • DG.
    • 5.

  • Leroy Anderson

    Bugler's Holiday

    Orchestra: Boston Pops Orchestra. Conductor: Arthur Fiedler.
    • DG.

  • Richard Rodgers

    Prologue: The Carousel Waltz (from 'Carousel')

    Lyricist: Oscar Hammerstein II. Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Amy Beach

    Dreaming

    Performer: Judith Herbert. Performer: Diana Ambache.
    • Beach: Violin Sonata Etc. - Ambache.
    • Chandos.
    • 7.

  • Th茅odore Dubois

    Toccata in G major (12 Pieces)

    Performer: Francis Jackson.
    • Pipes of Splendour.
    • Chandos.
    • 006.

  • John Williams

    Hymn To The Fallen (Saving Private Ryan)

    Choir: Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.
    • Saving Private Ryan.
    • Geffen.
    • 1.

  • Frederick Delius

    Delius: North Country Sketches

    Conductor: Charles Mackerras. Orchestra: Welsh National Opera Orchestra.
    • Delius: Brigg Fair; North Country Sketches; In A Summer Garden; The Walk To The.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 4.

  • Frederick Delius

    North Country Sketches

  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Study in C sharp minor, Op 25 No 7

    Performer: Murray Perahia.
    • Chopin: Etudes Op.10 & Op.25: Murray Perahia.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 19.

  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Study in A flat major, Op.25 no.1

    Performer: Murray Perahia.
    • Chopin: Etudes Op.10 & Op.25: Murray Perahia.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 20.

  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Study in A flat major, Op.25 no.1

    Performer: Murray Perahia.
    • Chopin: Etudes Op.10 & Op.25: Murray Perahia.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 21.

  • Moses Hogan

    Elijah Rock

    Choir: Plymouth Music Series Ensemble Singers. Conductor: Philip Brunelle.
    • COLLINS CLASSICS.

  • Thomas Arne

    Overture No 3 in G major

    Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
    • L'Oiseau-Lyre.

  • Claude Debussy

    The girl with the flaxen hair (Preludes, Book 1 No 8) arr. Bream for guitar

    Performer: Alexandra Whittingham. Music Arranger: Julian Bream.
    • Debussy: La fille aux cheveux de lin (Arr. Bream for Guitar).
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 1.

  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Yeomen of the Guard (Overture)

    Orchestra: Pro Arte Orchestra. Conductor: Malcolm Sargent.
    • Gibert & Sullivan: Yeomen of the Guard: Sargent.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Yesterday 09:30
    麻豆社 Radio 3