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Kickstart your day with the best classical music

Tom McKinney presents Radio 3’s Breakfast show live from Salford. With birdsong, Bach Before 7 and the best in classical music. You can contact the show by emailing 3breakfast@bbc.co.uk

To listen on most smart speakers, just say 'Ask BBC Sounds to play 3 Breakfast’

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Last on

Fri 6 Feb 202606:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Hildegard von Bingen

    Spiritus Sanctus vivificans vita

    Singer: Anna Sandström. Choir: Armonico Consort. Director: Christopher Monks.
    • Naked Byrd two: Armonico Consort.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 6.

  • Jean Sibelius

    King Christian II Suite, Op. 27: II. Elegy

    Conductor: Thomas Søndergård. Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
    • Sibelius: Finlandia.
    • Linn Records.
    • 2.

  • Luigi Cherubini

    Faniska (Overture)

    Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • Cherubini - Overtures.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 006.

  • George Gershwin

    Embracable You

    Performer: Wayne Marshall.
    • A Gershwin Songbook & Improvisations.
    • VIRGIN CLASSICS.
    • 10.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Brandenburg Concerto No 4 in G major, BWV 1049 (3rd mvt, Presto)

    Orchestra: Concerto Italiano. Conductor: Rinaldo Alessandrini.
    • J. S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos: Concerto Italiano.
    • Naive.
    • 3.

  • Joaquín Rodrigo

    Concierto de Aranjuez: I. Allegro con spirito

    Performer: Raphaël Feuillâtre. Orchestra: Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Gábor Takács‐Nagy.
    • Spanish Serenades.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op.76 No.4, Hob. III:78 \"Sunrise\": I. Allegro

    Ensemble: Pražák Quartet.
    • Haydn: Erdody Quartets, Op. 76, Vol. 2.
    • Praga Digitals.
    • 1.

  • Léo Delibes

    Pizzicato (from Sylvia)

    Orchestra: Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: János Sándor.
    • 99 Must-Have Sunday Morning Classics.
    • Cobra Entertainment LLC.
    • 84.

  • Robert Schumann

    Humoreske in B Flat Major Op.20: VII. Zum Beschluss

    Performer: Nikolai Lugansky.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Richard Strauss

    Also sprach Zarathustra Op.30 (Introduction)

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • Strauss.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 36.

  • George W. Chadwick

    A Pastoral Prelude for Orchestra

    Conductor: Keith Lockhart. Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra.
    • Chadwick: Sinfonietta in D Major.
    • Dutton Epoch.
    • 3.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Laudate Dominum (Vesperae solennes de confessore, K 339)

    Singer: Elin Manahan Thomas. Choir: The Sixteen. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Mozart: Vespers and Faure: Requiem.
    • Coro.
    • 2.

  • Francis Poulenc

    Les Biches (Ouverture)

    Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Thierry Fischer.
    • Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring - Poulenc: Les Biches.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 201.

  • Benjamin Britten

    Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes (Dawn)

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Chandos.

  • John Williams

    Call of the Champions

    Choir: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. Orchestra: Orchestra at Temple Square. Conductor: Craig Jessop.
    • Spirit of America.
    • Intellectual Reserve.
    • 18.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Fantasie Impromptu In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66

    Performer: Katya Apekisheva.
    • Scriabin/Faure/Chopin: Impromptus.
    • CHAMPS HILL RECORDS.
    • 14.

  • Johann Strauss

    Der Karneval in Paris, Galopp, Op. 100

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.
    • Neujahrskonzert 2026 / New Year's Concert 2026 / Concert du Nouvel An 2026.
    • Sony Classical.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Concerti grossi, Op. 6 No. 2 in F Major, HWV 320

    Orchestra: Avison Ensemble. Director: Pavlo Beznosiuk.
    • Linn.

  • Édouard Lalo

    Symphonie espagnole Op.21 (5th mvt)

    Performer: Augustin Hadelich. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Omer Meir Wellber.
    • Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto - Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole.
    • London Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • 8.

  • Nainita Desai

    My Mind is Still

    Performer: Thomas Gould. Performer: Leif Kaner‐Lidström. Performer: Elsa Bradley. Music Arranger: Geoff Lawson. Choir: VOCES8.
    • Infinity.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 12.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No.3, P 172: Siciliana

    Conductor: John Neschling. Orchestra: Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège.
    • Respighi: The Birds & Ancient Dances and Airs.
    • BIS.
    • 16.

  • Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges

    Violin Concerto in A major Op.5 no.2 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Francesca Dego. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jonathon Heyward.
    • A New Dawn.
    • PLATOON.
    • 04.

  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Symphony in F major, 'Urbs Roma' (IV. Poco allegretto)

    Orchestra: Malmö SymfoniOrkester. Conductor: Marc Soustrot.
    • Saint-Saens Symphonies 3.
    • Naxos.
    • 4.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Piano Trio No 44 in E major Hob XV/28 (2nd mvt, Allegretto)

    Ensemble: Trio Gaspard.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Song to the Moon (Rusalka)

    Lyricist: Jaroslav Kvapil. Singer: Nicole Car. Conductor: Andrea Molino. Orchestra: Opera Australia Orchestra.
    • The Kiss.
    • Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC).
    • 15.

  • William Walton

    Symphony no.1 in B flat minor (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Cécile Chaminade

    Six pièces romantiques, Op. 55: No. 1, Primavera

    Performer: Roberto Prosseda. Performer: Alessandra Ammara.
    • Compositrices: New Light on French Romantic Women Composers.
    • Bru Zane.
    • 22.

Broadcast

  • Fri 6 Feb 202606:30
    BBC Radio 3