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Great classical music for your morning

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 [email protected].

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 BBC Sounds to play Essential Classics”

24 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • Franz Liszt

    LiebestrÀume, S. 541: No. 3 in A-Flat Major, Oh Lieb, so lang du lieben kannst

    Performer: Lang Lang.
    • Sony.
  • William Henry Harris

    Faire is the heaven

    Choir: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Universal.
  • Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni

    Oboe Concerto in D minor, Op 9 No 2

    Performer: Anthony Robson. Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90. Conductor: Simon Standage.
    • Albinoni: Concertos for Oboe and Strings: Collegium Musicum 90/Standage.
    • Chandos.
    • 4-6.
  • Émile Waldteufel

    The Skaters - waltz

    Conductor: François‐Xavier Roth.
    • Les nuits de Paris.
    • Bru Zane.
    • 10.
  • Liza Lehmann

    If no one ever marries me (The Daisy Chain)

    Performer: Steuart Bedford. Singer: Janice Watson.
    • Collins.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No.3 in D minor (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Thomas Dausgaard.
    • Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, WAB 103 "Wagner" (1873 Version) [Ed. L. Now.
    • BIS.
    • 103.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Introduction and allegro

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.
    • Onyx.
  • Craig Armstrong

    Romeo and Juliet (Balcony Scene)

    Music Arranger: Paul Bateman. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Paul Bateman.
    • Pure... Movies.
    • Sony Music Entertainment.
    • 16.
  • Franz Schubert

    Die Wetterfahne (Winterreise)

    Music Arranger: Hans Zender. Singer: Allan Clayton. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Collon.
    • Schubert's Winterreise: A Composed Interpretation.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 102.
  • Franz Schubert

    Winterreise: No. 3, Gefrorne TrÀnen (Frozen Tears)

    Music Arranger: Hans Zender. Singer: Allan Clayton. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Collon.
    • Schubert's Winterreise: A Composed Interpretation.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 103.
  • Franz Schubert

    Winterreise: No.4; Erstarrung (Frozen Stiff)

    Music Arranger: Hans Zender. Singer: Allan Clayton. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Collon.
    • Schubert's Winterreise: A Composed Interpretation.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 104.
  • Duke Ellington

    Don't Get Around Much Anymore

    Performer: Martin Taylor. Performer: Stéphane Grappelli.
    • We've got the whole world on a string: Grappelli/Taylor.
    • EMI.
    • 2.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No 5 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Carlos Kleiber.
    • Beethoven, Symphony no. 5 and no. 7: Vienna Philharmonic.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
  • FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin

    Polonaise in A major Op.40 no.1 'Military'

    Performer: Garrick Ohlsson.
    • Hyperion.
  • Herbert Howells

    Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (Collegium regale)

    Performer: Owain Park. Choir: The Choir Of Trinity College, Cambridge. Singer: Jamie Robert. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • Howells: Collegium Regale & Other Choral Works.
    • Hyperion.
  • Anthony Holborne

    The Fairie-Round Galliard

    Ensemble: Fretwork.
    • Music for Viols.
    • Virgin.
    • 14.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen)

    Singer: Christian Gerhaher. Performer: Gerold Huber.
    • Christian Gerhaher: Mahler Lieder.
    • RCA Red Seal.
    • 6.
  • Carl Davis

    Pride and Prejudice: Main Title

    Performer: Melvyn Tan. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Carl Davis.
    • Pride and Prejudice.
    • EMI.
    • 1.
  • Stephen Sondheim

    Getting Married Today (Company)

    Singer: Anna-Jane Casey. Singer: Holly‐Anne Hull. Singer: Jon Robyns. Ensemble: Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends Original West End Concert Company.
    • Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends: A Celebration (Live at the Sondheim Theatre).
    • First Night Records/Rhino.
    • 9.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Piano Concerto in C sharp minor (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick NĂ©zet‐SĂ©guin.
    • Poulenc: Piano Concerto, Organ Concerto & Stabat Mater.
    • LPO.
    • 2.
  • Leos Janáček

    String Quartet no.1 'The Kreutzer Sonata (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: TakĂĄcs Quartet.
    • Hyperion.
  • Elena Kats‐Chernin

    Ornamental Air (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Michael Collins. Orchestra: Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Collins.
    • Mozart/Copland/Kats-Chernin: Works for Clarinet and Orchestra: Michael Collins.
    • Chandos.
    • 8.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Trio sonata, 1st mvt; Largo (Musical Offering)

    Ensemble: Le Concert des Nations. Director: Jordi Savall.
    • J. S. Bach, Musikalisches Opfer.
    • ALIA VOX.
    • 9.
  • Camille Saint‐SaĂ«ns

    Danse macabre Op.40

    Performer: Renaud Capuçon. Orchestra: The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. Conductor: Daniel Harding.
    • Le Boeuf sur le toit.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 6.
  • William Grant Still

    Symphony No. 1 "Afro-American"

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Kellen Gray.
    • African American Voices.
    • Linn Records.
    • 1.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Sonata in C major K.545 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida.
    • Mozart: Complete Piano Sonatas: Mitsuko Uchida.
    • Philips.
    • 1.
  • Luigi Boccherini

    Symphony no.19 G.521 (Op.43`6) in D major [Overture]

    Director: Jeanne Lamon. Orchestra: Tafelmusik.
    • Boccherini: Cello Concertos: Bylsma, Tafelmusik, Lamon.
    • Sony Classical.
  • Claude Debussy

    FĂȘtes (Nocturnes)

    Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Debussy: Nocturnes/La Mer/Jeux: Boulez.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 2.
  • Henryk MikoƂaj GĂłrecki

    Symphony No 3, Op 36 'Symphony of Sorrowful Songs' (2nd mvt)

    Singer: Dawn Upshaw. Orchestra: London Sinfonietta. Conductor: David Zinman.
    • Gorecki: Symphony No. 3: Dawn Upshaw.
    • Elektra Nonesuch.

Broadcast

  • Tuesday09:30