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Three Hours of Classical Sparkle

Sarah Walker chooses uplifting music to complement your morning, whether you’re enjoying a quiet coffee, preparing for Sunday lunch or heading into the outdoors.

Sarah Walker chooses uplifting music to complement your morning, whether you’re enjoying a quiet coffee, preparing for Sunday lunch or heading into the outdoors.

This week, Sarah has a mixture of orchestral gems, delicate piano music and luscious choral textures to enliven your day. Her Sunday Sequence has a humorous feel to reflect the fact it is World Laughter Day – can you guess what she’s going to include? And there's also a chance to hear from a fabulous complete recording of Beethoven’s First Symphony.

Also, Sarah's choral reflection takes us to the skies with Charles Villiers Stanford's most beloved partsong, “The Blue Bird”.

A Tandem Production for BBC Radio 3.

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3 hours

Last on

Sun 3 May 202609:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Violin Concerto no.4 in D major (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Francesca Dego. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Franz Schubert

    Impromptu No 4 in A flat major, D 899

    Performer: Eric Lu.
    • Warner Classics.

  • George Fenton

    Planet Earth (The Journey of the Sun)

    Conductor: George Fenton. Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra.
    • Planet Earth.
    • Silva Screen Records Ltd.
    • 2.

  • Rolf Lislevand

    Passacaglia al modo mio

    Performer: Rolf Lislevand.
    • ECM New Series.

  • Dorothy Howell

    Divertissements (2nd mvt, 'Three Divertissements')

    Conductor: Rebecca Miller. Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra.
    • Signum Records.

  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    The Nutcracker Suite (Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy)

    Conductor: Neville Marriner. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
    • Philips.

  • Florence Price

    Symphony No 3 in C minor (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Valentina Peleggi.

  • Charles Villiers Stanford

    The Blue Bird (8 Partsongs, Op 119: No 3)

    Choir: Giovanni Gabrieli. Conductor: Paul McCreesh.
    • Silence & Music.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 1.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    A Midsummer Night's Dream (Overture)

    Conductor: Edward Gardner. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
    • Chandos.

  • Clara Schumann

    3 Romances, Op 22

    Music Arranger: Amy Tress. Ensemble: Consone Quartet.

  • John Philip Sousa

    The Liberty Bell

    Ensemble: Eastman Wind Ensemble. Conductor: Frederick Fennell.
    • Mercury.

  • Sir Hamilton Harty

    A Comedy Overture

    Conductor: Takuo Yuasa. Orchestra: Ulster Orchestra.
    • Naxos.

  • Johann Strauss II

    Mein Herr Marquis (Die Fledermaus)

    Singer: Sumi Jo. Conductor: Richard Bonynge. Orchestra: Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
    • ERATO.

  • Aram Khachaturian

    Masquerade Suite (1st mvt, 'Waltz')

    Conductor: Neeme Järvi. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
    • Chandos Records Limited.

  • Santiago de Murcia

    Fandango (arr for violin, basso continuo & castanets )

    Performer: Cristina Prats Costa. Performer: Lucas Harris. Performer: Joseph Phillips. Performer: Esmeralda Enrique. Music Arranger: Cristina Prats Costa.
    • Spiritillo Mediterraneo.
    • PENTATONE.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Partita No 6 in E minor, BWV 830 (2nd mvt, Allemande)

    Performer: Víkingur Ólafsson.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No 1 in C major, Op 21

    Conductor: Antonello Manacorda. Orchestra: Potsdam Chamber Academy.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Isata Kanneh‐Mason

    Hiraeth

    Ensemble: The Kanneh‐Masons.
    • River of Music.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd.
    • 3.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No 94 in G major, Hob I:94, 'Surprise', (4th mvt, Finale)

    Conductor: Gábor Takács‐Nagy. Orchestra: Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra.
    • Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra Celebrating 20 Years (Live).
    • Verbier Festival Gold.
    • 5.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis for Double String Orchestra

    Conductor: Nigel Short. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra.
    • A Walk With Ivor Gurney.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 101.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Coronation Anthem No. 3, HWV260 'The King Shall Rejoice' - final section 'Glory and Worship' and Alleluia

    Ensemble: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Coro.

  • Alexander Borodin

    String Quartet No 2 in D major (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Dragon Quartet.
    • Channel Classics Records.

Broadcast

  • Sun 3 May 202609:00
    BBC Radio 3