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A feast of great music

Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music for your morning, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.

Ian Skelly 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 a masterpiece.

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29 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Today09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Prelude in C sharp minor (5 Morceaux de fantaisie Op.3)

    Performer: Simon Trpceski.
    • Simon Trpčeski plays Rachmaninov.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 13.

  • Florence Price

    Symphony no.4 in D minor (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.
    • Florence Price: Symphony No. 4 – William Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 4.

  • Reinhold Moritzevich Glière

    Impromptu

    Performer: Lavinia Meijer.
    • CHANNEL CLASSICS.

  • Reynaldo Hahn

    Venezia: 4. La biondina in gondoleta

    Performer: Graham Johnson. Author: Antonio Lamberti. Singer: Anthony Rolfe Johnson.
    • Souvenirs de Venise - Songs of Venice.
    • Helios.
    • 16.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in A minor 'con due violini obligati', RV 522

    Performer: Rachel Podger. Performer: Johannes Pramsohler. Ensemble: Brecon Baroque.
    • CHANNEL CLASSICS.

  • Benjamin Britten

    Storm (4 Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op 33a No 4)

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Alessandro Crudele.
    • LINN.

  • Luise Adolpha Le Beau

    Cello Sonata Op.17 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Steven Isserlis. Performer: Connie Shih.
    • HYPERION.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No 6 in F major, Op 68, 'Pastoral' (4th and 5th mvts)

    Conductor: Osmo Vänskä. Orchestra: Minnesota Orchestra.
    • Beethoven: The Symphonies: Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vanska.
    • BIS.
    • 8.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Trio Sonata in D major, HWV 385

    Performer: Elizabeth Wallfisch. Performer: Anthony Robson. Performer: Richard Tunnicliffe. Performer: Paul Nicholson. Ensemble: Convivium.
    • Handel, Trio Sonatas for Oboe and Violin: Convivium.
    • Hyperion.
    • 4.

  • Juan Francisco García

    Sambumbia No 1 'Dominican Rhapsody'

    Performer: Daniil Trifonov.
    • Mi Historia Americana: Sur.
    • DG.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Holberg Suite, Op.40 (Praeludium)

    Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Grieg: Complete music with orchestra: Gothenburg SO/Jarvi.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 1.

  • Ēriks Ešenvalds

    Stars

    Choir: The Choir Of Trinity College, Cambridge. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • Ēriks Ešenvalds: Northern Lights & other choral works.
    • Hyperion.
    • 15.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    The Hebrides Op.26

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Mendelssohn in Birmingham, Vol. 5.
    • Chandos.
    • 4.

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Presto (4th mvt from Concerto in E minor TWV.52:e1 for flute, recorder and strings)

    Performer: Martin Fröst. Performer: Jan Bengtson. Orchestra: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Fröst.
    • Martin Frost: Roots.
    • Sony.
    • 002.

  • Grace Williams

    Calm Sea in Summer (Sea Sketches)

    Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: David Atherton.
    • Grace Williams: Fantasia On Welsh Nursery Tunes, Carillons, Penillion, Trumpet C.
    • Lyrita.
    • 17.

  • John Ireland

    Sea Fever

    Performer: Julius Drake. Singer: Brindley Sherratt.
    • Fear No More.
    • Delphian Records.
    • 11.

  • Frank Bridge

    The Sea (4. Storm)

    Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Bridge: Orchestral Works, The Collector's Edition.
    • Chandos.
    • 12.

  • Charles Avison

    Concerto Grosso in D major, Op 9 No 12 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Pavlo Beznosiuk. Ensemble: Avison Ensemble.
    • The Avison Ensemble: Avison: Concerti Grossi, op. 9 & op. 10.
    • Divine Art.
    • 9.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Cello concerto no.2 in D major H.7b.2 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Jean‐Guihen Queyras. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Petra Müllejans.
    • Haydn: Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 - Monn: Cello Concerto.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 6.

  • Jean‐Michel Blais

    ulysse

    Performer: Jean‐Michel Blais.
    • mirador.
    • Universal Music Operations Limited.
    • 02.

  • Philip Wilby

    A Breathless Alleluia

    Performer: Black Dyke Band. Performer: Philip Wilby. Conductor: Nicholas Childs.
    • A Breathless Alleluia.
    • NAXOS.
    • 1.

  • Johann Strauss II

    Die Fledermaus (Overture)

    Orchestra: Bavarian State Orchestra. Conductor: Carlos Kleiber.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Gabriel Fauré

    Piano Quartet No 1

    Ensemble: Domus.
    • Fauré: Piano Quartets 1 & 2.
    • Hyperion.

  • Vivien Ellis

    Coronation Scot (Paul Temple)

    Orchestra: The New London Orchestra. Conductor: Ronald Corp.
    • British Light Music Classics: The New London Orchestra/Ronald Corp.
    • Hyperion.

  • Anna Thorvaldsdottir

    Heyr þú oss himnum á [Hear us in the heavens]

    Choir: Schola Cantorum Reykjavicensis. Conductor: Hörður Áskelsson.
    • Meditatio: Music for Mixed Choir.
    • BIS.
    • 10.

  • Franz Schubert

    Hungarian Melody D817

    Performer: Imogen Cooper.
    • Schubert, Live, Volume 3: Imogen Cooper.
    • Avie.
    • 5.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No. 41 'Jupiter' (Ist movt)

    Orchestra: Il Pomo d’Oro. Conductor: Maxim Emelyanychev.
    • Mozart: The Beginning & The End.
    • Aparté.
    • 7.

Broadcast

  • Today09:30
    BBC Radio 3