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Begin the day with melodic classical music

Calming classical music to inspire focus and set you up for the day ahead. Presented by broadcaster, author and counselling psychologist Dr Sian Williams.

Calming classical music to help you focus and set you up for the day ahead. Presented by broadcaster, author and counselling psychologist Dr Sian Williams.

Featuring uplifting, beautiful pieces from Vaughan Williams, Aaron Copland, and Alice Mary Smith. Sian Takes a Breath in a citrus grove and Professor Catherine Loveday Opens Our Mind as to how our cultural influences might impact on how we hear emotion in music.

17 days left to listen

3 hours

Last on

Sat 14 Feb 202609:00
BBC Radio 3 Unwind

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Music Played

  • Don Shearman

    Winter Sunshine

    Performer: Peter Fisher. Performer: Peter Cigleris. Ensemble: London Chamber Ensemble.
    • Heritage.

  • Aaron Copland

    4 Motets (1st mvt, 'Help Us, Lord')

    Choir: Polyphony. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • Hyperion.

  • Francesco Corbetta

    Chiacona

    Performer: Brandon Acker.
    • Alpha.

  • Leopold Mozart

    Symphony in D major, 'The Peasant Wedding' (3rd mvt)

    Conductor: Leopold Marinsky. Orchestra: Haydn Chamber Orchestra.
    • Rc Record Classic.

  • Lavinia Meijer

    A Winter Interlude (after Schubert)

    Performer: Lavinia Meijer.
    • SONY.

  • Philip Glass

    String Quartet No 3 (6th mvt, Mishima/Closing)

    Ensemble: Carducci String Quartet.
    • Naxos.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    The Tempest, Op 18 (1st mvt)

    Conductor: Alpesh Chauhan. Orchestra: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
    • Chandos.

  • Charles Villiers Stanford

    Symphony No 6 in E flat major, Op 94, 'In Memoriam G F Watts' (2nd mvt)

    Conductor: David Lloyd‐Jones. Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
    • Naxos.

  • Dorothy Howell

    Two Pieces for Muted Strings (No 1, Nocturne)

    Conductor: Michael Collins. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra.

  • William Grant Still

    Lyric Quartette (2nd mvt, 'The Quiet One')

    Ensemble: Catalyst Quartet.
    • Azica.

  • Florence Price

    Piano Concerto in One Movement (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Jeneba Kanneh‐Mason. Conductor: Leslie Suganandarajah. Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra.
    • Decca.

  • Gerald Finzi

    7 Poems of Robert Bridges, Op 17 (1st mvt, 'I praise the tender flower')

    Choir: The Choir Of Trinity College, Cambridge. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • Hyperion.

  • Déodat de Séverac

    Serenade au clair de lune

    Conductor: Roberto Benzi. Orchestra: Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.
    • Les Productions RSR.

  • Frederick Delius

    La Quadroone

    Conductor: David Lloyd‐Jones. Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North.
    • Naxos.

  • Harry Burleigh

    My Lord, what a morning

    Music Arranger: Philip Spray. Ensemble: Alchymy Viols. Director: Philip Spray.
    • Navona.

  • Gabriel Dupont

    La Maison dans le dunes (No 9, Clair d'etoiles)

    Performer: Natacha Melkonian.
    • Indesens.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Symphony No 8 in D minor (3rd mvt, Cavatina)

    Conductor: Martyn Brabbins. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra.
    • Hyperion.

  • Rebecca Dale

    The Cloths of Heaven

    Performer: Richard Harwood. Performer: Ben Dawson. Singer: Victoria Meteyard. Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • SIGNUM.

  • Anthony Holborne

    The Fruit of Love (Almaine)

    Ensemble: London Gabrieli Brass Ensemble.
    • Resonance.

  • Erkki Melartin

    Blue Pearl Suite (No 8, 'Water Lilies')

    Music Arranger: Hannu Lintu. Music Arranger: Jens Kyllonen. Conductor: Hannu Lintu. Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
    • Ondine.

  • Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges

    Violin Concerto No 1 in C major, Op 5 No 1 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Renaud Capuçon. Orchestra: Lausanne Chamber Orchestra.
    • Erato.

  • Dulcie Holland

    Nocturne

    Performer: Jeanell Carrigan.
    • Wirripang.

  • Franz Schubert

    String Quartet No 8 in B flat major, D 112 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Takács Quartet.
    • Hyperion.

  • Sergei Bortkiewicz

    Symphony No 2 in E flat major, Op 55 (3rd mvt)

    Conductor: Martyn Brabbins. Orchestra: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
    • Hyperion.

  • Alice Mary Smith

    Rock them, rock them

    Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Gabriella Teychenné.

  • William Grant Still

    Wood Notes (1st mvt, 'Singing River')

    Conductor: John Jeter. Orchestra: Fort Smith Symphony.
    • Naxos.

  • Robert Schumann

    Piano Sonata No 2 in G minor, Op 22 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Francesco Piemontesi.
    • Claves.

  • Mark Houghton

    Dance of the Orient

    Performer: Xuefei Yang.

  • Dora Bright

    Variations for Piano & Orchestra (Var 6)

    Performer: Samantha Ward. Conductor: Charles Peebles. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • SOMM.

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Concerto for violin, strings and continuo in A minor (1st mvt)

    Performer: Isabelle Faust. Performer: Bernhard Forck. Orchestra: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin.
    • Harmonia mundi.

  • Ruth Gipps

    Seascape Op 53 for wind ensemble

    Conductor: Jonathan Bloxham. Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

  • Engelbert Humperdinck

    Hansel Und Gretel (Overture)

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Chandos.

  • Henry Walford Davies

    Psalm 121

    Performer: Christian Forshaw. Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • SIGNUM.

Broadcasts

  • Mon 2 Feb 202609:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Sat 14 Feb 202609:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind