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Celebrating classical greats

Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music, with familiar favourites alongside new discoveries and musical surprises.

Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music, with familiar favourites alongside new discoveries and musical surprises.

1000 Playlist starter – listen and send us your ideas for the next step in our musical journey today.

1030 Song of the Day – harnessing the magic of words, music and the human voice.

1115 Playlist reveal – a sequence of music suggested by you in response to our starter today.

1145 Slow Moment – time to take a break for a moment's musical reflection.

1200 “25 for 25: Sounds of the Century” – a series of brand new commissions celebrating and commemorating some of the biggest events of the 21st century so far. This week, composer and activist Arowah remembers the global peace protests of February 2003 with In this World of War, Peace is What We're Fighting For, written for New Generation Artist saxophonist Emma Rawicz, pianist Lorenz Okello-Osengor and the ѿý Concert Orchestra.

To listen on most smart speakers say "Ask ѿý Sounds to play Essential Classics”

3 hours, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • Jean Sibelius

    Karelia Suite (Alla marcia)

    Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jukka‐Pekka Saraste.
    • Sibelius: Symphony No.1, Karelia etc: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Saraste.
    • RCA.
    • 8.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Violin Concerto in E minor (3rd mvt)

    Performer: James Ehnes. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy.
    • Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto/Octet: James Ehnes.
    • Onyx.
    • 3.
  • William Lawes

    Royal Consort Sett no. 6 in D major

    Performer: Elizabeth Kenny. Ensemble: Phantasm. Ensemble: Phantasm.
    • LINN.
  • Charles Villiers Stanford

    Clarinet Concerto in A minor Op.80 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Michael Collins. Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra.
    • Chandos.
  • Gabriel Fauré

    Barcarolle no.4 in A flat major Op.44

    Performer: Kathryn Stott.
    • Hyperion.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    The Running Set

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Manze.
    • ONYX.
  • Christoph Willibald Gluck

    Dance of the Blessed Spirits (Orfeo ed Euridice)

    Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Classical Hits: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 3.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    Piano Trio No 2 in G minor, Op 26 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Joachim Trio.
    • Dvorak: Piano Trios Vol. 2.
    • Naxos.
    • 006.
  • Pancho Vladigerov

    7 Symphonic Bulgarian Dances, Op. 23: No. 2, Allegro moderato grazioso

    Conductor: Nayden Todorov. Orchestra: Rousse Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Vladigerov: Orchestral Works.
    • Naxos.
    • 2.
  • Ernest Chausson

    Sept Melodies, Op. 2: No. 4 La derniere feuille

    Performer: Susan Manoff. Singer: Véronique Gens.
    • Alpha.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No. 4 in G Major: I. Bedächtig. Nicht eilen

    Orchestra: Minnesota Orchestra. Conductor: Osmo Vänskä.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G Major.
    • BIS.
    • 101.
  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Missa Papae Marcelli (Benedictus)

    Choir: Tallis Scholars. Director: Peter Phillips.
    • Live in Rome: The Tallis Scholars.
    • Gimell.
    • 7.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Piano Quintet in F minor, Op 34 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Barry Douglas. Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet.
    • Brahms: Piano Quintet Op.34 etc: Barry Douglas/Tokyo String Quartet.
    • RCA Victor.
    • 3.
  • William Grant Still

    Threnody: In Memory of Jean Sibelius

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Avlana Eisenberg.
    • Still: Orchestral Works.
    • Naxos.
    • 901.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Brandenburg Concerto No 3 in G major, BWV 1048 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Giuliano Carmignola. Performer: Raphael Christ. Performer: Lorenza Borrani. Performer: Danusha Waskiewicz. Performer: Simone Jandl. Performer: Behran Rassekhi. Performer: Mario Brunello. Performer: Enrico Bronzi. Performer: Benoît Grenet. Conductor: Claudio Abbado. Orchestra: Orchestra Mozart.
    • J.S. Bach: The Brandenburg Concertos; Orchestra Mozart, Abbado.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 5.
  • Marie Jaëll

    Cello Concerto in F major (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Xavier Phillips. Orchestra: Brussels Philharmonic. Conductor: Hervé Niquet.
    • Marie Jaëll: Musique symphonique & Musique pour piano.
    • Bru Zane.
    • 9.
  • Percy Grainger

    Shepherd's Hey

    • Grainger - Piano Works.
    • Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC).
    • 28.
  • Grace Williams

    Penillion (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Ray Allan. Conductor: Sir Charles Groves.
    • Grace Williams: Sea Sketches; Fantasia; Carillons; Penillion.
    • Lyrita.
    • 6.
  • John Playford

    Wallom Green (English Dancing Master)

    Music Arranger: Bjarte Eike. Performer: Bjarte Eike. Ensemble: Barokksolistene.
    • Rubicon RCD1017.
    • Rubicon.
    • 1.
  • Ron Goodwin

    The Trap: Main Theme

    Orchestra: ѿý Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • The Film Music of Ron Goodwin.
    • Chandos.
    • 12.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Laudate Dominum (Vesperae solennes de confessore, K 339)

    Singer: Felicity Palmer. Choir: Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge. Orchestra: Wren Orchestra. Conductor: George Guest.
    • The Essential Mozart.
    • Decca.
    • 5.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 36 (1931 Version): II. Non allegro

    Performer: Boris Giltburg.
    • Rachmaninoff: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2 & Isle of the Dead, Op. 29 (Arr. for Pian.
    • Naxos.
    • 105.
  • Hugo Alfvén

    Symphony No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 7: II. Andante

    • Alfven: Symphony No. 1, Drapa & Midsommarvaka.
    • CPO.
    • 2.
  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Piano Concerto no. 2 in G minor Op.22 - II: Allegro scherzando

    Performer: Louis Schwizgebel. Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fabien Gabel.
    • Saint-Saens: Piano Concertos 2 & 5.
    • ʴÉ.
    • 2.
  • Arowah

    In this World of War, Peace is What We're Fighting For

    Performer: Emma Rawicz. Performer: Lorenz Okello-Osengor. Orchestra: ѿý Concert Orchestra. Conductor: George Morton.
  • Alexander Glazunov

    Concerto Ballata, Op. 108

    Conductor: Okko Kamu. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Glazunov: Concerto Ballata, Prokofiev: Concertino & Tchaikovsky: Variations on a.
    • Signum Records.
    • 1.
  • Peter Warlock

    Basse-danse (Capriol Suite)

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Clio Gould.
    • English String Classics 2: Vaughan Williams/Warlock/Tippet/Elgar etc.
    • Apex.
    • 7.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Trio Sonata No. 1 in B Minor, HWV 386b: I. Andante

    • A Gift for your Garden.
    • BIS.
    • 3.
  • Carl Nielsen

    Little Suite in A minor Op.1 (Intermezzo)

    Orchestra: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. Director: Iona Brown.
    • The Sound of Scandinavia.
    • EMI Classics.
  • Marianna Martines

    Overture [Symphony] in C major (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: La Floridiana. Director: Nicoleta Paraschivescu.
    • DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Fantasia in C major H.17.4

    Performer: Sir András Schiff.
    • WARNER.
  • Richard Strauss

    Horn Concerto No. 2 in E Flat Major, TrV 283: III. Rondo. Allegro molto

    Performer: Christoph Ess. Conductor: Christopher Ward. Orchestra: Sinfonieorchester Aachen.
    • Golden Horizon.
    • Naxos.
    • 112.

Broadcast

  • Thu 20 Feb 2025 09:30

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