
Refresh your morning with classical music
Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.
Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.
1000 Playlist starter – listen and send us your ideas for the next step in our musical journey today.
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.
To listen on most smart speakers say "Ask ѿý Sounds to play Essential Classics”.
Last on
More episodes
Music Played
-
Frédéric Chopin
3 Nocturnes Op.9 (no.1 in B flat minor)
Performer: Maria João Pires.- DG.
-
Louise Farrenc
Overture in E flat major, Op 24
Orchestra: NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Johannes Goritzki.- CPO.
-
William Henry Harris
Bring us, O Lord God
Choir: Gabrieli Consort & Players. Conductor: Paul McCreesh.- The Road to Paradise.
- DG.
- 11.
-
Claude Debussy
Piano Trio in G major (4th mvt)
Performer: Jean‐Efflam Bavouzet. Ensemble: Brodsky Quartet.- Debussy: String Quartet & Piano Trio: Brodsky Quartet.
- Chandos.
-
Edvard Grieg
Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (Lyric Pieces - book 8 Op.65)
Orchestrator: Franz Josef Breuer. Orchestra: ѿý Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jerzy Maksymiuk.- Grieg: Peer Gynt, Sigur Jorsalfar.
- NAXOS.
- 11.
-
Hirokazu Tanaka
Tetris Theme (Korobeiniki)
Conductor: Andrew Skeet. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra.- The Greatest Video Game Music.
- X5 Music Group.
- 11.
-
Costanzo Porta
Sinfonia in D major
Performer: Simon Munday. Performer: Adrian Chandler. Ensemble: La Serenissima. Director: Adrian Chandler.- AVIE.
-
Gioachino Rossini
Introduction, theme and variations
Performer: Martin Frost. Orchestra: Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Lan Shui.- BIS.
-
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.
-
Annie Fortescue Harrison
In the Gloaming
Singer: Anthony Rolfe Johnson. Performer: Graham Johnson.- HYPERION.
-
Malcolm Arnold
Fantasy Op.114
Ensemble: Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Conductor: Elgar Howarth.- CONIFER.
-
Trad.
Scarborough Fair
Performer: Yo‐Yo Ma. Performer: Kathryn Stott. Music Arranger: Sir Stephen Hough.- Songs of Comfort and Hope.
- Sony Classical.
- 12.
-
Luigi Boccherini
Symphony No 19 in D major, G 521 (Overture)
Director: Jeanne Lamon. Orchestra: Tafelmusik.- Boccherini: Cello Concertos: Bylsma, Tafelmusik, Lamon.
- Sony Classical.
-
Frederick Delius
The Walk to the Paradise Garden (A Village Romeo and Juliet)
Music Arranger: Thomas Beecham. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.- LONDON.
-
Erik Satie
Je te veux
Performer: Jean‐Yves Thibaudet.- The Magic of Satie.
- Decca.
- 11.
-
Trad.
The lark in the clear air
Music Arranger: John Rutter. Choir: The Cambridge Singers. Conductor: John Rutter.- The Sprig of Thyme traditional songs.
- Collegium.
-
Francisco Tárrega
Gran Vals for guitar
Performer: Mats Bergström.- Gorgeous Guitar: Best Loved Classical Guitar Music.
- Naxos.
- 1001.
-
Leroy Anderson
The Typewriter
Performer: Alasdair Malloy. Orchestra: ѿý Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Leonard Slatkin.- Leroy Anderson - Orchestral Works Volume 3.
- NAXOS.
- 16.
-
Edward Elgar
Enigma Variations, Op 36 (Variation 10, 'Dorabella')
Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Davis.- TELDEC.
-
Ivan Larionov
Kalinka
Choir: Soviet Army Chorus. Ensemble: Soviet Army band. Conductor: Colonel Boris Alexandrov.- Angel.
-
Charles Gounod
Funeral March of a Marionette
Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Alexander Gibson.- DECCA.
-
Ludwig van Beethoven
String Quartet No 10 in E flat major, Op 74 'Harp'; iv.Allegretto con variazioni
Ensemble: Quatuor Ébène.- Beethoven Around the World: Melbourne, String Quartets Nos 2, 10 & 11.
- Warner Classics.
- 12.
-
William Grant Still
Land of romance (Africa)
Orchestra: Fort Smith Symphony. Conductor: John Jeter.- NAXOS.
-
Johann Sebastian Bach
Orchestral Suite no.1 in C major, BWV.1066 (Overture)
Orchestra: Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Ton Koopman.- J.S. Bach, Orchestral Suites, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra / Ton Koopman.
- RCA.
- 1.
-
Sergey Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto no. 1 in F sharp minor Op.1
Performer: Yuja Wang. Orchestra: Los Angeles Philharmonic. Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel.- DG.
-
Léo Delibes
Lakmé - Sous le dôme épais (Flower Duet)
Singer: Lesley Garrett. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Greenwood.- The Opera Album 2002.
- Virgin.
- 1.
-
Alexey Shor
Suite for Viola & Orchestra "Well Tempered Chanson": XII. Lament (Arr. for Cello
Performer: Narek Hakhnazaryan. Conductor: Tigran Hakhnazaryan. Orchestra: Wiener Symphoniker.- Chant du menestrel.
- Ars Produktion.
- 6.
-
Richard Harvey
I see his blood
Performer: Kristel Kiik. Performer: Maaren Vihermae. Performer: Villu Vihermäe. Performer: Liis Viira. Choir: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Conductor: Jérôme Kuhn.- Altus Records.
-
Madeleine Dring
Italian Dance
Performer: Tommy Reilly. Performer: Kaare Ørnung.- A Life in Music: Vintage Tommy Reilly.
- Chandos.
- 6.
-
Pablo de Sarasate
Carmen Fantasy
Composer: Georges Bizet. Performer: Augustin Hadelich. Orchestra: WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne. Conductor: Cristian Măcelaru.- WARNER.
Broadcast
- Thu 31 Jul 2025 09:30ѿý Radio 3