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Your perfect classical playlist

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.

To listen on most smart speakers, say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Essential Classics”.

6 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    Symphony No 5 in E minor, Op 64 (3rd mvt, Valse)

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • ORFEO.
  • Ernest John Moeran

    Bank Holiday

    Performer: Paul Guinery.
    • Stone.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Sinfonietta: II. Molto vivace

    Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Bramwell Tovey.
    • Francis Poulenc: Orchestral Works.
    • Chandos.
    • 2.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Lutheran Mass in A major, BWV 234 (Kyrie)

    Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan. Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki.
    • BIS.
  • Franz Schubert

    Entr'acte in B flat major (Rosamunde)

    Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • DG.
  • Pancho Vladigerov

    10 Impressions, Op. 9: No. 7, Laughter

    Performer: Nadejda Vlaeva.
    • Vladigerov: Exotic Preludes & Impressions.
    • Hyperion.
    • 13.
  • Joseph Bologne

    Symphonie concertante in A major Op.9`2 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Yury Revich. Performer: Libor Ježek. Orchestra: Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice. Conductor: Michael Halász.
    • Saint-Georges: Orchestral Works.
    • Naxos.
    • 4.
  • Helena Munktell

    Summer Night (finale of Dalecarlian Suite)

    Orchestra: Gävle symfoniorkester. Conductor: Tobias Ringborg.
    • Sterling.
  • Luigi Boccherini

    String Quintet no.11 in E major, G.275 (Minuet)

    Orchestra: Europa Galante.
    • Boccherini: String Quintets.
    • Virgin Veritas.
    • 13.
  • Kathryn Bostic

    Solace (Compassion)

    Performer: Andreas Graf. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Ben Palmer.
    • CLAVES.
  • Claude Debussy

    Estampes: No. 2. La soiree dans Grenade

    Composer: Carles Trepat. Performer: Rafael Aguirre.
    • NAXOS.
  • Ruth Gipps

    Trio for oboe, clarinet and piano Op 10 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Juliana Koch. Performer: Julian Bliss. Performer: Michael McHale.
    • CHANDOS.
  • Johann Jakob Walther

    Sonata in B flat major

    Performer: Bojan Čičić. Ensemble: Illyria Consort.
    • Scherzi da violino.
    • Delphian.
    • 33.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Piano Concerto No 3 in D minor, Op 30 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Nikolai Lugansky. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.
    • The Rachmaninov Experience.
    • Warner Classics and Jazz.
  • Frank Bridge

    Suite for Strings: Intermezzo

    Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia. Conductor: Nicholas Cleobury.
    • Bridge: Two Hunchbacks/Three Is A Willow/Threads/Berceuse/Serenade/Rosemary/Canz.
    • Conifer Classics.
    • 2.
  • Fats Waller

    Ain't Misbehavin'

    Composer: Harry Brooks. Performer: Fats Waller.
    • 25 Unforgettable Memories Part 2.
    • ASV.
    • 10.
  • Charlie Chaplin

    Modern Times: Smile (Arr. for Violin and Piano by Quint & Coleman)

    Performer: Renaud Capuçon. Performer: Guillaume Bellom. Music Arranger: Charles Coleman. Music Arranger: Philippe Quint.
    • Back to School - Classics for Studying.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 47.
  • Peter Maxwell Davies

    Pavan [Z.750] (Fantasia and 2 Pavans, after Purcell)

    Ensemble: Fires of London. Conductor: Peter Maxwell Davies.
    • Renaissance & Baroque Realisations.
    • Unicorn-Kanchana.
    • 3.
  • Georges Bizet

    Carmen Suite No. 2: ii. Habanera

    Orchestra: Orchestre de Paris – Philharmonie. Conductor: Semyon Bychkov.
    • Bizet: Carmen Suites; L'Arlésienne Suites.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
  • Igor Stravinsky

    Gavotta con due variazioni (Pulcinella Suite)

    Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Conductor: Alexander Janiczek.
    • Stravinsky Apollon Musagete and Pulcinella Suite.
    • Linn Records.
    • 18.
  • Jean Sibelius

    Lemminkainen Suite: Lemminkainen’s Return

    Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Santtu‐Matias Rouvali.
    • ALPHA.
  • Clara Schumann

    Piano Trio in G minor Op.17 (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.
    • Hyperion.
  • Christoph Willibald Gluck

    Orfeo ed Euridice, Wq. 30: Dance of the Blessed Spirits

    Conductor: Iona Brown. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
    • Orfeo ed Euridice, Wq. 30: Dance of the Blessed Spirits.
    • haenssler CLASSIC.
    • 101.
  • Joaquín Rodrigo

    Concierto de Aranjuez (1st mvt)

    Performer: Xuefei Yang. Orchestra: Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya. Conductor: Eije Oue.
    • Rodrigo, Concierto de Aranjuez: Xuefei Yang.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 1.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Octet in E flat major, Op 20: 4th Movement, Presto

    Performer: Daniel Hope. Performer: Lucy Gould. Performer: Sophie Besançon. Performer: Christian Eisenberger. Performer: Pascal Siffert. Performer: Stewart Eaton. Performer: William Conway. Performer: Kate Gould.
    • Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto: Daniel Hope, COE, Thomas Hengelbrock.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 7.
  • Dani Howard

    Trombone concerto - 3rd mvt (Illumination)

    Performer: Peter Moore. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Seal.
    • Dani Howard: Orchestral Works.
    • Rubicon.
    • 4.
  • William Byrd

    Peccantem me quotidie

    Choir: Alamire. Director: David Skinner.
    • Tallis & Byrd: Cantiones Sacrae 1575: Alamire, David Skinner.
    • Obsidian.
    • 6.
  • Edward Elgar

    Romance, Op 62

    Performer: Karen Geoghegan. Orchestra: Opera North Orchestra. Conductor: Benjamin Wallfisch.
    • Karen Geoghegan plays Bassoon Concertos.
    • Chandos.
    • 011.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    String Quartet in B flat major, K 589 (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Heutling Quartet.
    • Mozart The Collectors Edition 50 CDs The Masterpieces The Greatest Artists.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 9.
  • Aram Khachaturian

    Sabre Dance (Gayane)

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Charles Groves.
    • Sir Charles' Precious Music Box 2: Philharmonia/Groves.
    • Denon.
    • 21.

Broadcast

  • Mon 4 May 202609:30