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Relax into the day with classical

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

Ian Skelly plays the best classical music for your morning, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites. Including the Playlister challenge: our regular listener-created sequence inspired by a different piece of music each day. Plus a new classical release in focus for Album of the Week.

1000 Playlister starter: listen and send us your ideas for the next step in today's musical journey. Text 83111 or email essentialclassics@bbc.co.uk.

1030 Album of the Week: an exciting new classical release in focus throughout the week.

1115 Playlister reveal: an uninterrupted sequence of music suggested by you in response to today's starter piece.

1200 Feast of a Piece: indulge your ears with an orchestral masterpiece.

To listen on most smart speakers say "Ask 蜜芽传媒 Sounds to play Essential Classics鈥�

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Tue 5 Aug 2025 09:30
蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka

    Ruslan and Ludmila (Overture)

    Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Esa鈥怭ekka Salonen.
    • Tchaikovksy:1812 / Borodin: Polovtsian Dances / Balakirev: Islamey : Esa-Pekka S.
    • Philips.
    • 6.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op 115 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Julian Bliss. Ensemble: Carducci String Quartet.
    • SIGNUM.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony no.59 in A major H.1.59 'Fire' (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Il Giardino Armonico. Conductor: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Haydn 2032, Vol. 13: Horn Signal.
    • ALPHA.
    • 05.

  • Louis Francoeur

    Violin Sonata in E Minor, Op 1 No 4

    Performer: Th茅otime Langlois de Swarte. Performer: Justin Taylor.
    • ALPHA.

  • Amy Beach

    Suite for 2 Pianos Founded upon Old Irish Melodies, Op. 104: II. Old-Time Peasan

    Ensemble: Piano Duo Genova & Dimitrov.
    • Beach: Complete Works for Piano Duo.
    • CPO.
    • 6.

  • William Byrd

    Triumph, with pleasant melody

    Singer: Dorothee Mields. Singer: Magdalene Harer. Performer: Ryosuke Sakamoto. Ensemble: Boreas Quartett Bremen. Ensemble: Hathor Consort.
    • Audite.

  • Franz Waxman

    Carmen Fantasy

    Performer: Maxim Vengerov. Orchestra: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Zubin Mehta.
    • Paganini, Saint-Saens, Waxman: Works for violin and orchestra: Vengerov.
    • Teldec.

  • Jessie Montgomery

    Strum

    Ensemble: Catalyst Quartet.
    • Azica Records.

  • Anton Bruckner

    Os justi

    Choir: Choir of St. Mary鈥檚 Cathedral, Edinburgh. Conductor: Duncan Ferguson.
    • Bruckner Motets.
    • Delphian Records.
    • 16.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Toccata & Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565

    Music Arranger: Sir Andrew Davis. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins. Orchestra: 蜜芽传媒 Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • King of Kings: Bach Orchestral Transcriptions.
    • Chandos.
    • 1.

  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    Cello Concerto in B minor (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Alisa Weilerstein. Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Ji艡铆 B臎lohl谩vek.
    • Alisa Weilerstein Dvorak.
    • DECCA.
    • 2.

  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold

    String Sextet in D major Op.10 (Intermezzo)

    Performer: Jennifer Stumm. Performer: Bartholomew LaFollette. Ensemble: Doric String Quartet.
    • Korngold: Piano Sextet/String Quintet: Doric String Quartet.
    • Chandos.
    • 6.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Ging heut' morgen ubers Feld (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen)

    Singer: Katarina Karn茅us. Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Susanna M盲lkki.
    • BIS.

  • Henry Purcell

    Sound the trumpet (Come ye sons of art)

    Singer: Andreas Scholl. Singer: Christophe Dumaux. Orchestra: Accademia Bizantina. Conductor: Stefano Montanari.
    • O Solitude: Andreas Scholl, Accademia Bizantina.
    • Decca.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Variations and Fugue on a theme from Prometheus, Op 35 (Fugue)

    Performer: Emanuel Ax.
    • Emanuel Ax: Variations.
    • Sony Classical.

  • George Gershwin

    Prayer (Oh Doctor Jesus) from Porgy and Bess

    Composer: Ira Gershwin. Composer: DuBose Heyward. Performer: Miles Davis. Music Arranger: Gil Evans. Conductor: Gil Evans.
    • Porgy And Bess.
    • Columbia/Legacy.
    • 7.

  • Astor Piazzolla

    Fuga y Misterio

    Ensemble: The 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Luigi Boccherini

    La Ritirata di Madrid (Quintet for guitar and strings, G.453)

    Performer: Zolt谩n Tokos. Performer: Gy枚rgy 脡der. Ensemble: Danubius Quartet.
    • Music - Goya.
    • Naxos.
    • 8.

  • Barbara Strozzi

    Mordeva un bianco lino

    Ensemble: Musica Secreta.
    • Amon Ra records.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto no.3 in C minor Op.37 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Murray Perahia. Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.
    • Beethoven: The Five Piano Concertos: Perahia/Royal Concertgebouw Orch/Haitink.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 2.

  • Ilse Weber

    Wiegala

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

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Sinfonietta in A major, Op 48

    Orchestra: Lausanne Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Alberto Zedda.
    • Prokofiev/Debussy/Milhaud: Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne/Zedda.
    • Virgin Classics.
    • 5.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Keyboard Suite in D minor, HWV 437: Saraband

    Performer: Michael Borgstede.
    • BRILLIANT CLASSICS.

  • Galina Grigorjeva

    Salve Regina

    Choir: Theatre of Voices. Ensemble: Yxus Quartet. Conductor: Paul Hillier.
    • ONDINE.

  • Francesco Geminiani

    Concerto Grosso no.11 in E major after Corelli

    Performer: David Plantier. Performer: Olivia Centurioni. Ensemble: Ensemble 415. Director: Chiara Banchini.
    • Italiane Baroque.
    • Zig-Zag Territories.
    • 18-22.

  • Jonathan Dove

    An Airmail Letter From Mozart

    Performer: Melvyn Tan. Orchestra: London Mozart Players.
    • Signum Classics : SIGCD452.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 1.

  • Max Bruch

    Concerto in E minor for clarinet, viola and orchestra Op.88 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: G茅rard Causs茅. Performer: Paul Meyer. Orchestra: Op茅ra de Lyon. Conductor: Kent Nagano.
    • Bruch/Werke fur Klarinette und Viola.
    • Erato.

Broadcast

  • Tue 5 Aug 2025 09:30
    蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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