The best classical morning music
Georgia Mann plays the best in classical music, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.
Georgia Mann 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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Music Played
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Magnificat in E flat major BWV.243a (Magnificat anima mea)
Ensemble: Dunedin Consort. Director: John Butt.- Linn.
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Ottorino Respighi
Leggenda
Performer: Francesco de Angelis. Orchestra: La Scala Philharmonic. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.- Decca.
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Emmanuel Chabrier
Impromptu
Performer: Angela Hewitt.- Hyperion.
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Hugo Alfvén
Festival Overture Op.52
Ensemble: Swedish Wind Ensemble. Conductor: Christian Lindberg.- BIS.
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Johannes Brahms
Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.- Kaleidoscope: An Orchestral Extravaganza: Mackerras, LSO.
- Mercury.
- 6.
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Florence Price
Honeysuckle (A Southern Sky)
Performer: Kirsten Johnson.- Florence Price: Piano Music.
- Guild.
- 15.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Allegro for clarinet and string quartet in B flat major K. Anh. 91
Ensemble: Camerata RCO.- GUTMAN RECORDS.
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Dobrinka Tabakova
The Quest: II. Horizons
Performer: Ksenija Sidorova. Conductor: Normunds Šnē. Orchestra: Sinfonietta Rīga.- ALPHA.
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Claude Debussy
Arabesque no.1 in E major
Performer: Jean‐Yves Thibaudet.- Debussy, Preludes etc.: Jean-Yves Thibaudet.
- Decca.
- 16.
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Antonín Dvořák
Slavonic Dance in A flat major Op.46 no.3
Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.- Brahms: Hungarian Dances &Dvorak: Slavonic Dances: Haitink.
- Philips.
- 16.
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Anonymous
Magnificat ottavo tono
Ensemble: Musica Secreta. Director: Laurie Stras.- Lucky.
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Jacques Ibert
Trois pièces brèves
Performer: Philharmonisches Bläserquintett Berlin.- Francaix: Wind Quintet No. 1 / Milaud: La Cheminee du roi Rene.
- Bis.
- 1.
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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.
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Manuel de Falla
El Sombrero de tres picos - suite no. 2
Orchestra: Orchestre national d’Île‐de‐France. Conductor: Enrique Mazzola.- Manuel de Falla.
- NoMadMusic.
- 19-21.
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Nadia Boulanger
Le Ciel en Nuit s'est déplié
Performer: Malcolm Martineau. Singer: Johanna Wallroth. -
Anon.
Galliard and Allemande
Ensemble: Hespèrion XXI. Director: Jordi Savall.- Alia Vox.
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Amy Beach
Honeysuckle (From Grandmother's Garden, Op 97)
Performer: Kirsten Johnson.- Guild.
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Fats Waller
Honeysuckle Rose
Performer: Count Basie. Lyricist: Andy Razaf. Singer: Ella Fitzgerald. Orchestra: The Count Basie Orchestra.- Ella And Basie!.
- Verve Records.
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George Gershwin
An American in Paris
Music Arranger: Jascha Heifetz. Performer: Tamsin Waley-Cohen. Performer: Huw Watkins.- An American In Paris: Tamsin Waley-Cohen/Huw Watkins.
- Champs Hill.
- 5.
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César Franck
Les eolides
Orchestra: Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Conductor: Ernest Ansermet.- DECCA.
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Antônio Carlos Jobim
Modinha/Olha Maria
Performer: Fergus McCreadie. Performer: Santiago Cañón-Valencia. -
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Dance of the Tumblers (Snow Maiden)
Performer: Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Music Arranger: Derek Ashmore. Conductor: Garry Cutt.- Classic Brass.
- RCA/Sony Masterworks.
- 4.
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Joaquín Rodrigo
Fantasia para un Gentilhombre
Performer: Miloš Karadaglić. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.- DG.
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Gabriel Fauré
Fantaisie Op.79
Performer: Emmanuel Pahud. Performer: Eric Le Sage.- ALPHA.
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Hildegard von Bingen
O viridissima virga
Ensemble: Gothic Voices. Director: Christopher Page.- Hyperion.
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Jacques Offenbach
Belle nuit, o nuit d'amour (The Tales of Hoffmann)
Conductor: Jesús López Cobos. Singer: Hong Hei-Kyung. Singer: Jennifer Larmore. Orchestra: Munich Radio Orchestra.- Bellezza Vocale: Hong/Larmore.
- Teldec.
- 1.
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Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges
Concertante Quartet in C major, Op 15 No 3: second movement (Rondeau)
Ensemble: Levare String Quartet. -
Domenico Scarlatti
Sonata in F minor, K 481
Performer: Alexandre Tharaud.- D. Scarlatti: Sonatas: Alexandre Tharaud.
- Virgin Classics.
- 9.
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Georges Bizet
L'Arlésienne - Suite No 1 (Minuetto)
Orchestra: Orchestre national de France. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.- The Best of Bizet.
- Philips.
- 2.
Broadcast
- Wed 8 Oct 2025 09:30ѿý Radio 3