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The best classical morning 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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26 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Wednesday09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka

    Ruslan i Lyudmila (Overture)

    Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.
    • Bernard Haitink - A Portrait.
    • DECCA.
    • 79.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Piano Trio in C major, H.15.27 (1st mvt)

    Performer: The Florestan Trio.
    • Haydn: Piano Trios, Vol.1: The Florestan Trio.
    • Hyperion.
    • 10.

  • Cecilia McDowall

    Alma Redemptoris Mater

    Choir: ORA. Conductor: Suzi Digby.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No 1 in C major, Op 15 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Paul Lewis. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jiří Bělohlávek.
    • Beethoven Complete Piano Concertos Lewis - Belohlavek.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 3.

  • Gustav Holst

    Song of the Fisherman (Japanese Suite, Op 33)

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Davis.
    • Holst: Orchestral Works, Volume 2.
    • Chandos.
    • 4.

  • Jean‐Baptiste Lully

    Marche des mousquetaires du roy

    Ensemble: Ensemble de Trompettes de Cavalerie de Paris. Conductor: Pierre Bréard. Ensemble: Trompes de chasse du Rallye-Louvarts de Paris. Ensemble: Ensembles d'instruments a vent et de tambours. Conductor: Jean‐François Paillard.
    • Music at the Court of Versailles: Charpentier/Delalande/Lully/Rameau.
    • Erato.
    • 26.

  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold

    Marietta's Lied from Die tote Stadt, Op 12 (arr for violin & orchestra)

    Composer: Julius Korngold. Performer: Bomsori. Conductor: Jakub Hrůša. Orchestra: Bamberg Symphony Orchestra.
    • Bruch & Korngold.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 7.

  • Jean Sibelius

    The Oceanides

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • EMI.

  • Gabriel Fauré

    Barcarolle No. 4 in A-Flat Major, Op. 44

    • Fauré: Barcarolles; Dolly Suite.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 4.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Violin Concerto No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1042

    Performer: Eldbjørg Hemsing. Performer: Tim Allhoff. Ensemble: Norwegian String Quartet.
    • Colors of Bach.
    • Sony Classical/Sony Music.
    • 20-22.

  • Fela Sowande

    Akinla (African Suite)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Paul Freeman.
    • Black Composer Series, Vol. 7: William Grant Still, Fela Sowande & George Walker.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 4.

  • Richard Wagner

    Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Prelude to Act 1)

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • DG.

  • Pablo de Sarasate

    Romanza Andaluza, Op 22 No 1

    Performer: Nikolaj Znaider. Performer: Daniel Gortler.
    • Bravo! Virtuoso & Romantic Violin Encores.
    • RCA Red Seal.
    • 2.

  • Franz Schubert

    Fischerweise, D. 881

    Lyricist: Franz Xaver von Schlechta.
    • Schubert: Lieder - Ave Maria.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 4.

  • Yuquijiro Yocoh

    Sakura Variations

    Performer: John Williams.
    • John Williams: The Seville Concert.
    • Sony.
    • 7.

  • Georges Bizet

    Au fond du temple saint (duet from The Pearl Fishers)

    Performer: Bavarian State Orchestra. Singer: Jonas Kaufmann. Singer: Ludovic Tézier. Conductor: Bertrand de Billy.
    • L'Opéra.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 5.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony no.39 in E flat K.543 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt.
    • Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39, 40 & 41.
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 104.

  • Leonard Bernstein

    3 Dance episodes from 'On the town'

    Orchestra: New York Philharmonic. Conductor: Leonard Bernstein.
    • Sony.

  • Christopher Tye

    Peterhouse Mass: I. Gloria

    Lyricist: Trad..
    • Tye: The Peterhouse Mass & Other Works.
    • Hyperion.
    • 2.

  • Franz Schubert

    Piano Quintet in A major D.667 'Trout' (4th mvt)

    Performer: Emanuel Ax. Performer: Pamela Frank. Performer: Rebecca Young. Performer: Yo‐Yo Ma. Performer: Edgar Meyer.
    • Schubert: Trout Quintet/Arpeggione Sonata:Ax/Frank/Ma/Meyer/Bonney.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 4.

  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Symphony No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 55

    Conductor: Cristian Măcelaru. Orchestra: Orchestre national de France.
    • Saint-Saëns: Complete Symphonies.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 13.

  • Christian Sinding

    The Rustle of Spring (6 Pieces Op.32)

    Performer: Christian Ihle Hadland.
    • Sinding, C.: Violin and Piano Music.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.

  • Michael Nyman

    Venus De Milo (2004 Digital Remaster)

    • Michael Nyman - Peter Greenaway Film Music.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 9.

  • Bernhard Crusell

    Divertimento, Op.9

    Performer: Christopher O'Neal. Ensemble: Fibonacci Sequence.
    • Deux-Elles.

  • John Field

    Nocturne No 2 in C Minor, H 25

    Performer: Alice Sara Ott.
    • Field: Complete Nocturnes.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 2.

  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op. 35, TH 59: III. F

    • Tchaikovsky, Sibelius: Violin Concertos.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

Broadcast

  • Wednesday09:30
    BBC Radio 3