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The very best of classical music

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.

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3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Mon 4 Aug 2025 09:30
蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Egmont Overture

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Decca.

  • Louise Farrenc

    Piano Quintet no.2 in E major Op.31 (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Linos Ensemble.
    • Farrenc: Piano Quintets Nos. 1 & 2.
    • CPO.
    • 204.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in F major RV.572 (Il Proteo o sia il mondo al rovescio)

    Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
    • Vivaldi Concerti.
    • Linn.
    • 1-3.

  • Edward Elgar

    La Capricieuse Op.17 for violin and piano

    Performer: Leonidas Kavakos. Performer: Enrico Pace.
    • DECCA.

  • Alfred Schnittke

    The Building Plot (The Waltz suite)

    Music Arranger: Frank Strobel. Orchestra: Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Conductor: Frank Strobel.
    • CAPRICCIO.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Rondo in D major, K.382

    Performer: Alfred Brendel. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • Mozart, Piano Concertos No. 20 K. 466 & No. 24 K. 491 Concerto Rondo K. 382.
    • PHILIPS SILVER LINE CLASSICS.
    • 4-6.

  • Thomas Ad猫s

    L'芒me-en-peine (3 Studies from Couperin)

    Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Conductor: Thomas Ad猫s.
    • Ades: Tevot, Violin Concerto, Three Studies.
    • EMI.
    • 7.

  • William Byrd

    Atollite portas

    Choir: Alamire. Director: David Skinner.
    • Tallis & Byrd: Cantiones Sacrae 1575: Alamire, David Skinner.
    • Obsidian.
    • 11.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    O Mensch, bewein dein S眉nde gro脽, BWV 622 (Arr. Andrew Davis)

    Music Arranger: Sir Andrew Davis. Orchestra: 蜜芽传媒 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
    • King of Kings: Bach Orchestral Transcriptions.
    • Chandos.
    • 109.

  • Niccol貌 Paganini

    24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1, MS 25: No. 24 in A Minor. Tema con

    Performer: Mar铆a Due帽as.
    • Paganini: 24 Caprices 鈥� Caprices by Berlioz, Cervell贸, Kreisler, Ortiz, Saint-Sa.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 24.

  • Ester M盲gi

    Bukoolika

    Orchestra: Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Arvo Volmer.
    • Magi: Orchestral Music.
    • Toccata Classics.
    • 5.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Alborada del gracioso (Miroirs)

    Orchestra: Ulster Orchestra. Conductor: Yan Pascal Tortelier.
    • Ravel: Orchestral Works: Soloists, Ulster Orchestra, Tortelier.
    • Chandos.
    • 5.

  • Nicolas Vallet

    Suite for four lutes

    Performer: Jakob Lindberg. Performer: Nigel North. Performer: Paul O鈥橠ette. Performer: Robert Meunier.
    • Three, Four and Twenty Lutes, Lindberg etc..
    • BIS.
    • 10.

  • Benjamin Britten

    The building of the house - Overture, Op.79

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Ensemble: CBSO Chorus. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Rattle Conducts Britten.
    • EMI.
    • 17.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Cantata BWV.140)

    Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
    • Bach, J.S.: Cantatas.
    • DG.
    • 9.

  • Maurice Jarre

    Building The Barn (Witness)

    Performer: Chris Page. Performer: Ian Underwood. Performer: Clark Spangler. Performer: Michael Boddicker.
    • Witness (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Varese.
    • 5.

  • Aaron Copland

    Fanfare for the Common Man (蜜芽传媒 Philharmonic Studio Concerts)

    Orchestra: 蜜芽传媒 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Dobrinka Tabakova

    Cello Concerto (Longing)

    Performer: Kristina Blaumane. Orchestra: Lietuvos kamerinis orkestras. Conductor: Maxim Rysanov.
    • String Paths.
    • ECM NEW SERIES.
    • 003.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Piano Trio in E flat major, H.15.29 (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: The Florestan Trio.
    • Haydn: Piano Trios - Volume 2: Hob XV: 28-31.
    • Hyperion.
    • 6.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    Belkis, Queen of Sheba (The Dance of Belkis at Dawn)

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Geoffrey Simon.
    • Respighi: Belkis Queen of Sheba and Metamorphoseon.
    • Chandos.
    • 3.

  • Gerald Finzi

    Forlana (Bagatelles, Op 23)

    Performer: John Bradbury. Performer: James Cryer.
    • The English Clarinet.
    • Naxos.
    • 11.

  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Piano Concerto No 2 in G minor, Op 22

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.
    • Saint-Sa毛ns: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5 etc. (Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto 27).
    • Hyperion.
    • 4-6.

  • Thomas Tallis

    O sacrum convivium

    Ensemble: Oxford Camerata. Conductor: Jeremy Summerly.
    • The Best of Tallis.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Marche slave, Op 31

    Orchestra: Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jos茅 Serebrier.
    • Tchaikovsky: 1812/Capriccio italien etc: Bamberg S. O. /Serebrier.
    • BIS.
    • 3.

  • Emilie Mayer

    Symphony No 2 in E minor (Finale)

    Orchestra: NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Leo McFall.
    • Mayer: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2.
    • CPO.
    • 4.

  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    String Serenade in E major Op.22 (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Saito Kinen Orchestra. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.
    • Dvorak, Bartok, Wolf: Saito Kinen, Ozawa.
    • Philips.
    • 2.

Broadcast

  • Mon 4 Aug 2025 09:30
    蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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