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A classical soundtrack for your morning

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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21 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Last Monday09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Egmont, Op 84 (Overture)

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Beethoven: Overturen - Weiner Philharmoniker/Claudio Abbado.
    • Deutsche Grammaphon.
    • 7.

  • Maddalena Laura Sirmen

    String Quartet no.2 in B flat major (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Allegri String Quartet.
    • Maddalena Lombardini Sirmen - The Six String Quartets.
    • CALA.
    • 12.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 (4. Rondo alla Zingarese)

    Music Arranger: Arnold Schoenberg. Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Christoph von Dohnányi.
    • Beethoven (arr.Mahler) / Brahms (orch.Schoenberg).
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 8.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Rinaldo - Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga"

    Singer: Sandrine Piau. Ensemble: Les Paladins. Conductor: Jérôme Corréas.
    • ALPHA.

  • Jon Lord

    At Court (To Notice Such Things)

    Performer: Cormac Henry. Performer: Jon Lord. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Clark Rundell.
    • Jon Lord: To Notice Such Things.
    • Avie.
    • 2.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Symphony in D minor, 'Youth'

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda.
    • Rachmaninoff: Symphony no.1 etc: BBC Philharmonic/Noseda.
    • Chandos.
    • 2.

  • Barbara Strozzi

    Che si può fare?

    Singer: Simone Kermes. Ensemble: La magnifica comunità. Director: Enrico Casazza.
    • Sony Music.

  • Frederick Delius

    On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring

    Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • Walton/Villa-Lobos/De Falla/Satie/Delius: Academy St. Martin in the fields/Marri.
    • Philips.
    • 5.

  • John Dowland

    A Dream (Arr. for Virginals by P. Gallon)

    Music Arranger: Pierre Gallon.
    • After Dark: A Midnight Fantasia.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 109.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Violin Concerto no.2 in G minor Op.63 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider. Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Mariss Jansons.
    • RCA.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Quintet in E flat major K.452 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Alfred Brendel. Performer: Heinz Holliger. Performer: Eduard Brunner. Performer: Klaus Thunemann. Performer: Hermann Baumann.
    • Philips.

  • John Adams

    Short Ride in a Fast Machine

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Oundjian.
    • Chandos.

  • Louise Bertin

    Fausto (Overture)

    Orchestra: Les Talens Lyriques. Director: Christophe Rousset.
    • Louise Bertin: Fausto.
    • Bru Zane.
    • 1.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    March Past of the Kitchen Utensils (The Wasps)

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: James Judd.
    • Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto.
    • Naxos.
    • 3.

  • Arthur Sullivan

    When I, good friends, was called to the bar (Trial by Jury)

    Lyricist: William Gilbert. Singer: Richard Suart. Orchestra: Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Gilbert & Sullivan: The Yeomen of the Guard & Trial by Jury.
    • Telarc.
    • 28.

  • Leos Janáček

    The Street Leading to the Castle (Sinfonietta)

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Janacek: Sinfonietta/Taras Bulba: Wiener Philharmoniker/Mackerras.
    • Decca.
    • 4.

  • Joseph Horovitz

    Rumpole of the Bailey - theme tune

    Performer: Laurence Perkins. Performer: Catriona McDermid. Performer: Amy Thompson. Performer: Matthew Kitteringham.
    • Honey-Coloured Cow.
    • Hyperion.
    • 15.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No. 1 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Düsseldorfer Symphoniker. Conductor: Ádám Fischer.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 1.
    • CAvi-music.
    • 102.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No.32 in C Minor, Op. 111: 1st movt

    Performer: Imogen Cooper.
    • Beethoven: The Last Three Sonatas.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 107.

  • Bohuslav Martinů

    Once more (8 Madrigals)

    Choir: Martinů Voices. Conductor: Lukáš Vasilek.
    • Supraphon.

  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Bacchanale (Samson et Dalila)

    Orchestra: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: James DePreist.
    • Saint-Saens: Organ Symphony etc: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra/DePreist.
    • BIS.
    • 5.

  • Ernest Bloch

    Schelomo

    Performer: Steven Isserlis. Orchestra: German Symphony Orchestra Berlin. Conductor: Hugh Wolff.
    • BIS.

  • Teresa Carreño

    Un reve en mer

    Performer: Alexandra Oehler.
    • Teresa Carreno: Klavierwerke (Piano works).
    • ARS MUSICI.
    • 005.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Concerto for two violins

    Performer: Nicola Benedetti. Performer: Alexander Sitkovetsky. Orchestra: NFM Orkiestra Leopoldinum.

  • Charles‐Marie Widor

    Suite for flute and piano, Op 34 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Jeffrey Khaner. Performer: Hugh Sung.
    • The Romantic Flute: Jeffrey Khaner.
    • Avie.
    • 2.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony No 9 in E minor, Op 95, 'From the New World' (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Jiří Bělohlávek.
    • Dvorák: Complete Symphonies & Concertos.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 43.

Broadcast

  • Last Monday09:30
    BBC Radio 3