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Your perfect classical playlist

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

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

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.

1230 Album of the Week.

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1 day left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Wed 28 May 2025 09:30

Music Played

  • Maurice Ravel

    Alborada del gracioso

    Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Maurice Ravel: Ma Mère L’oye; Boléro; Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales; Pavane Pou.
    • Chandos.
    • 9.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    Humoresque in G flat major, Op. 101 No. 7

    Performer: Itzhak Perlman. Performer: Yo‐Yo Ma. Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.
    • Dvorák In Prague: A Celebration (Remastered).
    • Sony.
    • 4.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV.881

    Performer: Sir András Schiff.
    • ECM New Series.
  • Doreen Carwithen

    Bishop Rock

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Chandos.
  • Hubert Léonard

    Donkey and Driver

    Performer: Steven Isserlis. Performer: Thomas Adès.
    • RCA.
  • Gabriel Fauré

    Cantique de Jean Racine, Op 11

    Choir: Choir of New College Oxford. Performer: Matthew Halls. Performer: Christopher Hughes. Ensemble: Capricorn. Conductor: Edward Higginbottom.
    • Agnus Dei: Choir of New College, Oxford/Higginbottom.
    • Erato.
  • Johann Friedrich Fasch

    Concerto in C minor for two oboes, bassoon and continuo

    Performer: Alberto Grazzi. Performer: Paul Goodwin. Performer: Lorraine Wood. Ensemble: The English Concert. Conductor: Trevor Pinnock.
    • Fasch: Concertos/Orchestral suite: The English Concert/Pinnock.
    • Archiv Produktion.
  • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

    Symphony in A minor, Op 8 (3rd mvmt, Scherzo)

    Orchestra: Aarhus Symfoniorkester. Conductor: Douglas Bostock.
    • ALTO.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Mandolin Concerto in C major RV.425 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Duilio Galfetti. Performer: Luca Pianca. Performer: Enrico Onofri. Orchestra: Il Giardino Armonico. Director: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Vivaldi: Lute & Mandolin Concertos: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Teldec.
    • 7.
  • Ottorino Respighi

    Leggenda

    Performer: Francesco de Angelis. Orchestra: La Scala Philharmonic. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Decca.
  • Robert Schumann

    Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26: No. 5, Finale

    Performer: Alasdair Beatson.
    • Aus Wien.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 5.
  • Bedrich Smetana

    Vltava (Ma Vlast)

    Orchestra: Symfonický orchestr hlavního města Prahy FOK. Conductor: Libor Pešek.
    • Dvorak: New World Symphony: Prague Symphony Orchestra/Pesek.
    • Sony.
  • Elfrida Andrée

    String Quartet in D minor (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: The Stockholm Quartet.
    • Caprice.
  • Johannes Brahms

    9 Lieder and Songs, Op. 32: No. 9, Wie bist du, meine Königin

    Lyricist: Georg Friedrich Daumer.
    • For Dieter: Hommage à Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 5.
  • Elisabetta Brusa

    Favole: The Donkey in the Lion's Skin

    Orchestra: National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. Conductor: Fabio Mastrangelo.
    • Brusa: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.
  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Wild Asses: Swift Animals (Carnival of the Animals)

    Performer: Martha Argerich. Performer: Lilya Zilberstein.
    • Martha Argerich and Friends Live from the Lugano Festival 2013.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.
    • 12.
  • George Butterworth

    Is my team ploughing? (A Shropshire Lad)

    Performer: Malcolm Martineau. Singer: Bryn Terfel.
    • DG.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    A Midsummer Night's Dream suite (Intermezzo)

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Berlin Philharmoniker.
  • Giacomo Puccini

    Vissi d'arte (Tosca)

    Singer: Aleksandra Kurzak. Orchestra: Morphing Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Frédéric Chaslin.
    • Sony.
  • Dieterich Buxtehude

    Trio Sonata in B Flat Major, BuxWV.255

    Ensemble: Arcangelo.
    • Alpha.
  • Alexander Scriabin

    Symphony No.1 Op.26 - Lento (first movement)

    Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vasily Petrenko.
    • Lawo Classics.
  • Domenico Scarlatti

    Sonata in A major Kk.322

    Music Arranger: Peter Batchelar. Music Arranger: Richard Wright. Performer: Craig Ogden.
    • Chandos.
  • Niccolò Paganini

    Moto perpetuo in C major, Op 11

    Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.
    • Boston Symphony Orchestra - Great Recordings.
    • UME - Global Clearing House.
    • 62.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    The Wild Dove, Op 110

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Dvorak; Symphonic Poems; Mackerras.
    • Supraphon.
    • 4.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op 58 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Murray Perahia. Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.
    • Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos 3 & 4: Perahia/Haitink.
    • CBS.
    • 6.
  • Madeleine Dring

    Trio for Oboe, Bassoon & Harpsichord: III. Allegro con brio

    Performer: Nicholas Daniel. Performer: Amy Harman. Performer: Antonio Oyarzabal.
    • Dring: Complete Works for Oboe.
    • Chandos.
    • 106.
  • Cipriano de Rore

    Descendi in hortum meum

    Choir: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
    • Gimell.
  • Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet in G major Op.77`1 (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Alban Berg Quartett.
    • EMI.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

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

    Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2, Prelude in C# Minor.
    • Chandos.
    • 103.

Broadcast

  • Wed 28 May 2025 09:30

Our Classical Century

Our Classical Century

Radio 3 explores 100 key musical moments that shaped us, from 1918 to the present day.

Time Travellers: the podcast

Time Travellers: the podcast

Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough presents quirky tales gathered from the corners of history.