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Begin your morning with spellbinding harmonies

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 a wealth of relaxing and enthralling pieces from composers like Arvo Pärt, Schubert, and Florence Price. In this episode, Sian Takes a Breath and wonders at a fast flowing stream, and there's another chance to Find Your Focus with the hypnotic music of Phamie Gow. Plus, Professor Catherine Loveday explains the scientific explanation for why we find music so pleasurable to listen to.

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Music Played

  • Eric Whitacre

    This Marriage

    Choir: Eric Whitacre Singers. Conductor: Eric Whitacre.
    • Decca.

  • Antoine Reicha

    Symphonie concertante pour deux violoncelles et orchestre (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Davit Melkonyan. Performer: Christophe Coin. Orchestra: Gli Angeli Genève. Conductor: Stephan MacLeod.
    • Claves.

  • Arcangelo Corelli

    Concerto grosso Op 6 No 11 in B flat major (1st mvt)

    Performer: Alessandro Tampieri. Performer: Ottavio Dantone. Orchestra: Accademia Bizantina.
    • HDB Sonus.

  • Florence Price

    To A White Rose

    Performer: Lara Downes.
    • Flipside.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Symphony No 3 in D major, 'Polish' Op 29 (3rd mvt)

    Conductor: Vasily Petrenko. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Onyx.

  • Phamie Gow

    Rackwick Bay

    Performer: Phamie Gow.
    • Decca.

  • Franz Schubert

    Litanei auf das Fest Allerseelen, D 343

    Performer: Julius Drake. Choir: North German Radio Choir. Conductor: Klaas Stok.
    • NDR Vokalensemble.

  • Richard Strauss

    Symphony No 2, Op 12

    Conductor: Hermann Bäumer. Orchestra: German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • CPO.

  • Johannes Brahms

    6 Piano Pieces, Op 118 (2nd mvt, 'Intermezzo in A')

    Performer: Nelson Freire.
    • Decca.

  • Leroy Anderson

    Summer Skies

    Conductor: Leonard Slatkin. Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra.
    • Naxos.

  • Bernhard Crusell

    Clarinet Concerto No 2 in F minor, Op 5 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Michael Collins. Orchestra: Swedish Chamber Orchestra.
    • CHANDOS.

  • John Hughes

    Calon Lân (arr for 2 violins)

    Performer: Aminata Kanneh‐Mason. Performer: Braimah Kanneh-Mason. Music Arranger: Aminata Kanneh‐Mason. Music Arranger: Braimah Kanneh-Mason.
    • Decca.

  • Franz Schreker

    Symphony in A minor, Op 1 (3rd mvt)

    Conductor: Peter Gülke. Orchestra: Cologne Radio Orchestra.
    • Capriccio.

  • Trad.

    Naana maara haath (arr for piano solo)

    Performer: Lang Lang. Music Arranger: Peter Schindler.
    • DG.

  • Alfredo Casella

    Scarlattiana, divertimento for piano and orchestra (Pastorale)

    Performer: Martin Roscoe. Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Chandos.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No 31 in D major, K 297/300a, 'Paris' (2nd mvt)

    Conductor: Bernhard Forck. Orchestra: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin.
    • Pentatone.

  • Trad.

    24 Negro Melodies, Op 59 (No 10, 'Deep River')

    Performer: Alessio Pianelli. Music Arranger: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Orchestra: Avos Chamber Orchestra.
    • Rubicon.

  • Edward Elgar

    Nursery Suite (4th mvt, 'The Sad Doll')

    Conductor: Mark Elder. Orchestra: Hallé.
    • Halle.

  • Vicente Lusitano

    Emendemus in melius

    Choir: London Voices.
    • OUP Music.

  • Arvo Pärt

    Hymn to a Great City for two pianos

    Performer: Georgijs Osokins. Performer: Martha Argerich.
    • DG.

  • Václav Pichl

    Symphony in D major, Z 16, 'Diana' (2nd mvt)

    Conductor: Kevin Mallon. Orchestra: Toronto Chamber Orchestra.
    • Naxos.

  • Robert Schumann

    Myrten, Op 25 (No 1, Widmung)

    Performer: Kian Soltani. Performer: Julien Quentin. Music Arranger: Kian Soltani.
    • DG.

  • Paul Leonard‐Morgan

    Linlithgow Palace (A History of Scotland)

    Conductor: Paul Leonard‐Morgan. Orchestra: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
    • BBC.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Symphony No 1, Op 11 (2nd mvt)

    Conductor: Paavo Järvi. Orchestra: Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.
    • Alpha.

  • Anne Dudley

    Two Brothers

    Performer: Anne Dudley. Ensemble: The Quartet Of London.
    • Angel.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Symphony No 5 in D major (3rd mvt, 'Romanza')

    Conductor: Sir Antonio Pappano. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra.
    • LSO LIVE.

  • Percy Grainger

    Irish Tune from County Derry, 'Danny Boy'

    Conductor: Richard Hickox. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Chandos.

  • Germaine Tailleferre

    Arabesque

    Performer: Maria Du Toit. Performer: Vera Kooper.
    • Channel.

  • Charles Villiers Stanford

    Bible Songs, Op 113 (No 6, 'A Song of Wisdom', arr for choir & organ)

    Performer: Martin Ford. Choir: Vasari Singers. Conductor: Jeremy Backhouse.
    • Naxos.

  • Louise Farrenc

    Sextet for Piano & Winds in C minor, Op 40 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Les Vents Français.
    • Warner.

  • Sophia Dussek

    Harp Sonata in E flat major, Op 2, No 4 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Floraleda Sacchi.
    • Tactus.

  • Thomas de Hartmann

    Violin Concerto, Op 66 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Joshua Bell. Conductor: Dalia Stasevska. Orchestra: INSO-Lviv Symphony Orchestra.
    • Pentatone.

  • Henry Walford Davies

    God Be in My Head

    Choir: The Cambridge Singers. Conductor: John Rutter.
    • Collegium.

  • Trad.

    Tuoll on mon kultani

    Music Arranger: Bob Chilcott. Choir: Tenebrae Consort. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • SIGNUM.

Broadcasts

  • Mon 2 Mar 202609:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Today09:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind