
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”
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Music Played
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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.
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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.
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William Lawes
Royal Consort Sett no. 6 in D major
Performer: Elizabeth Kenny. Ensemble: Phantasm. Ensemble: Phantasm.- LINN.
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Charles Villiers Stanford
Clarinet Concerto in A minor Op.80 (3rd mvt)
Performer: Michael Collins. Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra.- Chandos.
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Gabriel Fauré
Barcarolle no.4 in A flat major Op.44
Performer: Kathryn Stott.- Hyperion.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams
The Running Set
Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Manze.- ONYX.
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Christoph Willibald Gluck
Dance of the Blessed Spirits (Orfeo ed Euridice)
Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.- Classical Hits: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
- Deutsche Grammophon.
- 3.
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Antonín Dvořák
Piano Trio No 2 in G minor, Op 26 (2nd mvt)
Ensemble: Joachim Trio.- Dvorak: Piano Trios Vol. 2.
- Naxos.
- 006.
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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.
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Ernest Chausson
Sept Melodies, Op. 2: No. 4 La derniere feuille
Performer: Susan Manoff. Singer: Véronique Gens.- Alpha.
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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.
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Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Missa Papae Marcelli (Benedictus)
Choir: Tallis Scholars. Director: Peter Phillips.- Live in Rome: The Tallis Scholars.
- Gimell.
- 7.
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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.
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William Grant Still
Threnody: In Memory of Jean Sibelius
Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Avlana Eisenberg.- Still: Orchestral Works.
- Naxos.
- 901.
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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.
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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.
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Percy Grainger
Shepherd's Hey
- Grainger - Piano Works.
- Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC).
- 28.
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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.
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John Playford
Wallom Green (English Dancing Master)
Music Arranger: Bjarte Eike. Performer: Bjarte Eike. Ensemble: Barokksolistene.- Rubicon RCD1017.
- Rubicon.
- 1.
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Ron Goodwin
The Trap: Main Theme
Orchestra: ѿý Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.- The Film Music of Ron Goodwin.
- Chandos.
- 12.
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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.
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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.
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Hugo Alfvén
Symphony No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 7: II. Andante
- Alfven: Symphony No. 1, Drapa & Midsommarvaka.
- CPO.
- 2.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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George Frideric Handel
Trio Sonata No. 1 in B Minor, HWV 386b: I. Andante
- A Gift for your Garden.
- BIS.
- 3.
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Carl Nielsen
Little Suite in A minor Op.1 (Intermezzo)
Orchestra: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. Director: Iona Brown.- The Sound of Scandinavia.
- EMI Classics.
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Marianna Martines
Overture [Symphony] in C major (1st mvt)
Ensemble: La Floridiana. Director: Nicoleta Paraschivescu.- DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI.
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Joseph Haydn
Fantasia in C major H.17.4
Performer: Sir András Schiff.- WARNER.
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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 09:30ѿý Radio 3