Celebrating classical greats
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�
Last on
More episodes
Previous
Music Played
-
![]()
Felix Mendelssohn
Songs without words, Op.19 No.1 in E major
Performer: Murray Perahia.- SONY.
-
![]()
Franz Schubert
Symphony No 8 in B minor, D 759, 'Unfinished' (2nd mvt)
Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.- Schubert: 8 Symphonies: Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Abbado.
- Deutsche Grammophon.
- 2.
-
![]()
Benjamin Britten
Lemady; Bonny at morn (Eight Folk Song Arrangements)
Composer: Trad.. Performer: David Willison. Singer: Benjamin Luxon.- Britten: Song Cycles.
- Chandos.
- 1,2.
-
![]()
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Dance (Othello Suite)
Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra. Conductor: Fawzi Haimor.- Coleridge-Taylor.
- Decca Music Group Ltd..
- 1.
-
![]()
Domenico Zipoli
Elevazione
Performer: Julia Girdwood. Performer: Robert Truman. Ensemble: Consort of London. Conductor: Robert Haydon Clark.- Collins Classics.
-
![]()
Ernest John Moeran
Bank Holiday
Performer: Paul Guinery.- Stone.
-
![]()
Jonathan Dove
Seek Him that maketh the Seven Stars
Performer: Jeremy Filsell. Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.- SIGNUM.
-
![]()
Gerald Finzi
Romance Op.11
Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Collon.- Decca.
-
![]()
John Williams
The Raiders' March (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.- John Williams: Greatest Hits 1969-1999.
- Sony Classical.
- 13.
-
![]()
Gra偶yna Bacewicz
String Quartet No. 4: III. Allegro giocoso
Music Arranger: Marijn van Prooijen. Conductor: Malin Broman. Orchestra: Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra.- Breaking Waves.
- BIS.
- 108.
-
![]()
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Quintet for Piano and Winds, K 452 (2nd mvt)
Performer: Sir Andr谩s Schiff. Performer: Heinz Holliger. Performer: Elmar Schmid. Performer: Klaus Thunemann. Performer: Radovan Vlatkovi膰.- Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 26 "Coronation"; Piano And Wind Quintet.
- Decca Music Group Ltd..
- 5.
-
![]()
Ernest John Moeran
Bank Holiday
Performer: Paul Guinery.- Stone.
-
![]()
Eric Coates
Covent Garden (London (London every day) suite)
Orchestra: 蜜芽传媒 Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Rumon Gamba.- CHANDOS.
-
![]()
Antonio Vivaldi
Autumn (The Four Seasons)
Performer: Rachel Podger. Ensemble: Brecon Baroque. Ensemble: Brecon Baroque.- VIVALDI: LE QUATTRO STAGIONI.
- Channel Classics.
- 7.
-
![]()
Kod谩ly Zolt谩n
Missa brevis: Agnus Dei
Performer: Andrew Reid. Choir: Westminster Cathedral Choir. Conductor: James O鈥橠onnell.- Kod谩ly & Jan谩膷ek: Masses.
- Hyperion.
- 7.
-
![]()
Zequinha de Abreu
Tico-tico no fuba [Tico-tico bird in the cornmeal]
Performer: James Watson. Lyricist: Aloysio de Oliveira. Conductor: John Iveson. Ensemble: Philip Jones Brass Ensemble.- Easy Winners.
- Marcophon.
- 8.
-
![]()
Malcolm Arnold
The Padstow Lifeboat
Ensemble: Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Conductor: Malcolm Arnold.- Arnold on Brass.
- Conifer.
- 24.
-
![]()
Fr茅d茅ric Chopin
Prelude in D flat major 'Raindrop' (24 Preludes Op.28)
Performer: Martha Argerich.- Chopin: 26 Preludes Scherzo NR. 2 - Martha Argerich.
- DG.
- 15.
-
![]()
Albert Ket猫lbey
'Appy 'Ampstead (Cockney Suite)
Orchestra: New Symphony Orchestra of London. Conductor: Stanford Robinson.- Decca.
-
![]()
Giuseppe Verdi
La donna 猫 mobile (Rigoletto)
Singer: Jonas Kaufmann. Orchestra: Orchestra dell'Opera di Parma. Conductor: Pier Giorgio Morandi.- Jonas Kaufmann - The Verdi Album.
- Sony.
- 1.
-
![]()
Friedrich Kuhlau
The Magic Harp (Overture)
Orchestra: Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Sch酶nwandt.- Kuhlau: Overtures: Danish National Radio Symphony Orch/Schonwandt.
- Chandos.
- 2.
-
![]()
Duke Ellington
Black, Brown and Beige: Part V (Come Sunday Interlude)
Performer: Ray Nance. Performer: Duke Ellington. Orchestra: Duke Ellington Orchestra.- COLUMBIA.
-
![]()
Joseph Haydn
Piano Trio No. 36 in E flat major, Hob.XV:22 - 3. Finale (Allegro)
Ensemble: Beaux Arts Trio.- Philips.
-
![]()
Gabriel Faur茅
Sicilienne (Pelleas & Melisande)
Orchestra: Paris Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Thomas Zehetmair.- Mirare.
-
![]()
Johann Sebastian Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No 1 in F major, BWV 1046
Orchestra: Concerto Italiano. Conductor: Rinaldo Alessandrini.- J. S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos: Concerto Italiano.
- Naive.
- 1.
-
![]()
Grigoras Dinicu
Hora Staccato
Performer: James Galway. Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Gerhardt.- The Man With The Golden Flute.
- RCA Red Seal.
- 1.
-
![]()
Erik Satie
Gnossienne no.1 in F minor
Performer: Alexandre Tharaud.- HARMONIA MUNDI.
-
![]()
Matthew Locke
Suite - [The] Little consort no.2 in C major H.132.2
Performer: Sergio Bucheli. Performer: Silas Wollston. Ensemble: Fretwork.- Matthew Locke - The Little Suites.
- SIGNUM.
-
![]()
Hildegard von Bingen
O felix anima
Choir: Anonymous 4.- HARMONIA MUNDI.
-
![]()
Bedrich Smetana
Vltava (M谩 vlast)
Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Ji艡铆 B臎lohl谩vek.- B. Smetana; Ma Vlast: Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Belohlavek.
- Supraphon.
- 2.
Broadcast
- Wed 20 Aug 2025 09:30蜜芽传媒 Radio 3