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The very best of classical music

Georgia Mann plays the best in classical music, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favorites.

Georgia Mann plays the best in classical music, featuring new discoveries, some musical surprises and plenty of familiar favourites.

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.

1230 Album of the Week.

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

3 hours, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • Ottorino Respighi

    Prelude (The Birds)

    Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 1.
  • Roman Hoffstetter

    String Quartet in F Major Op.3 no.5 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Alban Berg Quartett.
    • Hommage.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 13.
  • William Walton

    Battle in the Air (Battle of Britain Suite)

    Music Arranger: Colin Matthews. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • Walton: Battle of Britain Suite etc.: ASMF/Marriner.
    • Chandos.
    • 17.
  • Cécile Chaminade

    Romance in D major, Op 137

    Performer: Peter Jacobs.
    • Chaminade: Piano Music - 1, Peter Jacobs.
    • Helios.
    • 5.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No 41 in C major, K.551, 'Jupiter' (4th mvmt, Molto allegro)

    Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Nikolaus Harnoncourt.
    • Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 40 & 41 "Jupiter".
    • Warner Classics International.
    • 8.
  • Errollyn Wallen

    Peace on Earth

    Performer: Catrin Meek. Choir: Choristers of Merton College, Oxford. Conductor: Benjamin Nicholas.
    • In the Stillness: A Merton Christmas.
    • 2022 Delphian Records Ltd..
    • 4.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    Slavonic Dance in F major, Op.46 no.4

    Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iván Fischer.
    • Dvorak: Slavonic Dances, op.46 and op.72.
    • Channel Classics.
    • 4.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Cello Sonata in G minor, Op 65 (3rd mvmt, Largo)

    Performer: Pavel Gomziakov. Performer: Maria João Pires.
    • Pires plays Chopin.
    • UMG Recordings, Inc..
    • 42.
  • Tielman Susato

    Basse danse (La Mourisque)

    Ensemble: Tablatura.
    • Tablatura Collection.
    • Universal Music LLC.
    • 3.
  • Elena Kats‐Chernin

    Dance of the Paper Umbrellas

    Orchestra: Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Benjamin Northey.
    • The Elena Kats-Chernin Collection.
    • Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC).
    • 84.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Chorale-Prelude, BWV 645)

    Performer: Simon Preston.
    • The World of The Organ, Simon Preston.
    • Decca.
    • 2.
  • Ross Parker

    We'll Meet Again

    Composer: Hughie Charles. Singer: Vera Lynn. Choir: Sailors, Soldiers & Airmen of Her Majesty's Forces. Orchestra: Roland Shaw Orchestra.
    • The Golden Age of Radio.
    • Reader's Digest.
    • 16.
  • Hector Berlioz

    Béatrice et Bénédict Op.27 (Overture)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Colin Davis.
    • Berlioz Odyssey: The Complete Colin Davis Recordings.
    • Lso Live.
    • 401.
  • Errollyn Wallen

    Peace on Earth

    Performer: Catrin Meek. Choir: Choristers of Merton College, Oxford. Conductor: Benjamin Nicholas.
    • In the Stillness: A Merton Christmas.
    • 2022 Delphian Records Ltd..
    • 4.
  • Rachel Portman

    Hannah's Song

    Performer: Martin Frost. Performer: Rachel Portman.
    • Hannah's Song.
    • Sony Classical/Sony Music.
    • 1.
  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

    The Tsar's Departure and Farewell (The Tale of Tsar Saltan)

    Orchestra: Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Kees Bakels.
    • Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34 / Piano Concerto, Op. 30 / Sadko, Op.
    • BIS.
    • 1.
  • Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet, 'The Lark' (1st mvt, Allegro moderato)

    Ensemble: Danish String Quartet.
    • AVI MUSIC.
  • Aaron Copland

    Symphony No 3 (Finale)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Aaron Copland.
    • Lso: Selected Symphonies.
    • Silent Star Music.
    • 24.
  • Errollyn Wallen

    Peace on Earth

    Performer: Catrin Meek. Choir: Choristers of Merton College, Oxford. Conductor: Benjamin Nicholas.
    • In the Stillness: A Merton Christmas.
    • 2022 Delphian Records Ltd..
    • 4.
  • Karl Jenkins

    Benedictus (from The Armed Man - a Mass for Peace)

    Performer: Timothy Hugh. Singer: Malakai. Choir: Schola Cantorum of The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School. Orchestra: London Mozart Players. Conductor: Karl Jenkins.
    • Decca.
  • Bill Evans

    Peace Piece

    Performer: Igor Levit.
    • Life.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 7.
  • Trad.

    We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace

    Music Arranger: Undine Smith Moore. Choir: VocalEssence Chorus. Conductor: Philip Brunelle.
    • CLARION.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony no.2 in D major, Op 36 (4th mvt, Allegro molto)

    Orchestra: Minnesota Orchestra. Conductor: Osmo Vänskä.
    • Beethoven: The Symphonies: Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vanska.
    • BIS.
    • 4.
  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Victory (War and Peace - Symphonic Suite)

    Conductor: Neeme Järvi. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra.
    • Prokofiev: War & Peace Suite.
    • Chandos.
    • 107.
  • Amy Beach

    Piano Quintet in F minor (2nd mvt, Adagio espressivo)

    Performer: Garrick Ohlsson. Ensemble: Takács Quartet.
    • Hyperion.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto for Strings in G minor, RV.156 (2nd mvt, Adagio)

    Conductor: Rubén Dubrovsky. Ensemble: Bach Consort Wien.
    • Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, Gloria & Other Works (Live).
    • Gramola Records.
    • 102.
  • Ilse Weber

    Wiegala

    Singer: Anne Sofie von Otter. Performer: Bebe Risenfors.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis

    Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Barbirolli.
    • EMI.
  • Aileen Sweeney

    Views from the M9

    Orchestra: ѿý Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Alpesh Chauhan.
  • Chevalier de Saint-Georges Joseph Bologne

    Sonata in E flat major for harp and flute (3rd mvmt, Rondeau)

    Performer: Sandrine Chatron. Performer: Amélie Michel.
    • Le Salon de Musique de Marie-Antoinette.
    • AMBROISIE.
    • 14.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Hungarian Dance No 6 in D major

    Music Arranger: Albert Parlow. Orchestra: Munich Radio Orchestra. Conductor: Roberto Abbado.
    • Brahms: Hungarian Dances Nos. 1-10.
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 106.
  • John Field

    Nocturne no.18 in E major H.13K 'Le Midi'

    Performer: Alice Sara Ott.
    • Field: Complete Nocturnes.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 18.
  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    The Nutcracker (Waltz of the Flowers)

    Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra. Conductor: Lorin Maazel.
    • Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet, Nutcracker Suite; Maazel, the Cleveland Orchestra.
    • Telarc.
    • 9.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Orchestral Suite No.2 in B minor, BWV.1067 (Overture)

    Orchestra: Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Ton Koopman.
    • J.S. Bach, Orchestral Suites, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra / Ton Koopman.
    • RCA.
    • 3.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Liberté (Figure humaine)

    Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • Figure Humaine.
    • Signum Records.
    • 19.

Broadcast

  • Thu 8 May 2025 09:30

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