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Refresh your morning with 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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24 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Last Monday09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Dmitri Kabalevsky

    Colas Breugnon Op.24 (Overture)

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Director: Vasily Petrenko.
    • Khachaturian, Mussorgsky, Shchedrin etc..
    • Onyx.
    • 01.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Noctuelles (Miroirs)

    Performer: Jean‐Efflam Bavouzet.
    • Maurice Ravel, Complete Piano Works.
    • MDG.
    • 8.

  • Carl Stamitz

    Clarinet Concerto no.7 in E flat major (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Andreas Ottensamer. Performer: Potsdam Chamber Academy.
    • Decca.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

    Performer: Iona Brown. Performer: Malcolm Latchem. Performer: Stephen Shingles. Performer: Denis Vigay. Conductor: Neville Marriner. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
    • Vaughan Williams: Partita, 3 Vocalises, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, Th.
    • Decca (UMO).
    • 5.

  • Matthew Coleridge

    The Breath of Life (7. These Great Trees are Prayers)

    Performer: Lionel Handy. Choir: Choir of Royal Holloway. Orchestra: Southern Sinfonia. Conductor: Rupert Gough.
    • CONVIVIUM.

  • Gabriel Pierné

    Impromptu-Caprice, Op 9

    Performer: Lavinia Meijer.
    • CHANNEL CLASSICS.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No 99 in E flat major (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Haydn, 12 London Symphonies: Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre-Grenobles.
    • Naive.
    • 1.

  • Franz Schubert

    Heidenröslein, Op. 3-3, D 257

    Performer: Malcolm Martineau. Singer: Bryn Terfel.
    • An die Musik.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 13.

  • Samuel Coleridge‐Taylor

    Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 80: I. Allegro maestoso

    Performer: Elena Urioste. Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra. Conductor: Kevin John Edusei.
    • Coleridge-Taylor.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..

  • Robert Sherman

    Mary Poppins Suite

    Composer: Richard Sherman. Performer: Sir Stephen Hough. Music Arranger: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Hyperion.

  • Francisco Correa de Arauxo

    Batalla de Morales

    Ensemble: Hespèrion XXI. Director: Jordi Savall.
    • ALIA VOX.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony no.4 in B flat major Op.60 (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Minnesota Orchestra. Conductor: Osmo Vänskä.
    • Beethoven: The Symphonies: Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vanska.
    • BIS.
    • 3.

  • Eric Coates

    By the sleepy lagoon

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Chandos.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Concerto Grosso in A Major Op.6`11 (Allegro)

    Ensemble: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin. Director: Bernhard Forck.
    • Handel: 12 Concerti grossi, Op. 6 Nos. 7-12.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 505.

  • George Butterworth

    Six Songs from A Shropshire Lad: No. 1, Loveliest of trees

    Orchestrator: Roderick Williams. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder. Orchestra: Hallé.
    • A Shropshire Lad: English Songs Orchestrated by Roderick Williams.
    • Halle.
    • 5.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Granen (The Spruce) [5 Piano Pieces, Op.75 No.5]

    Performer: Håvard Gimse.
    • Naxos.

  • Frederick Loewe

    I Talk to the Trees ('Paint Your Wagon')

    Lyricist: Alan Jay Lerner. Singer: Tony Bavaar. Orchestra: Paint Your Wagon Orchestra. Conductor: Franz Allers.
    • Paint Your Wagon (Original Broadway Cast Recording).
    • Masterworks Broadway.
    • 4.

  • William Byrd

    Hodie Simon Petrus

    Ensemble: The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble. Director: Simon Ravens.
    • Byrd: The Great Service in the Chapel Royal.
    • Chandos.
    • 11.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Symphony no.2 in E minor Op.27 (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Kirill Petrenko.
    • Berlin Philharmonic.

  • Jesper Kyd

    Valhalla Suite

    Composer: Sarah Schachner. Performer: Nicolas Horvath.
    • Assassin's Creed: The Piano Collection.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 11.

  • Manuel Ponce

    Estrellita [Little Star]

    Performer: Alexandra Whittingham. Music Arranger: Mario Abril. Music Arranger: Manuel Barrueco.
    • Ponce: Estrellita (Arr. Abril & Barrueco for Guitar).
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 1.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    La bohème, Act 1: "Che gelida manina" (Rodolfo)

    Singer: Pene Pati. Orchestra: Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine. Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume.
    • Nessun dorma.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 10.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Orchestral Suite no.1 in C Major BWV.1066 (Overture)

    Ensemble: Dunedin Consort. Conductor: John Butt.
    • Bach: Orchestral Suites BWV 1066-1069.
    • Linn Records.
    • 6.

  • Fritz Kreisler

    Liebesfreud' - old Viennese dance no.1

    Performer: Jack Liebeck. Performer: Katya Apekisheva.
    • Hyperion.

  • Joan Trimble

    Suite for Strings (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Irish Chamber Orchestra. Director: Fionnuala Hunt.
    • Black Box.

  • Domenico Scarlatti

    Sonata in C-Sharp Minor, Kk 247

    Performer: Daria van den Bercken.
    • Domenico Scarlatti and Daria van den Bercken.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 13.

  • Johann Strauss II

    Die Fledermaus (Overture)

    Orchestra: Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester. Conductor: Martin Sieghart.
    • Works by Johann and Josef Strauss: Martin Sieghart.
    • Arte Nova Classics.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Last Monday09:30
    BBC Radio 3