Brighten the day with healing classical 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 enchanting, soul-stirring melodies from Arthur Bliss, Erland Cooper, and Helen Leach. Catherine Loveday joins the show to Open Our Minds about how classical music might be able to help our short-term memory, and Sian Takes an early morning Breath to reveal the wonders of the dawn chorus. Plus music by Max Richter to encourage us all to Find Our Focus this morning.
On radio
Music Played
![]()
Reinhold Moritzevich Glière
Harp Concerto in E flat major, Op 74 (1st mvt)
Performer: Xavier de Maistre. Conductor: Nathalie Stutzmann. Orchestra: WDR Sinfonieorchester.- Sony.
![]()
Florence Price
Cherry Blossoms in Her Hair
Performer: Michael Clark.- Navona Records.
![]()
Helen Leach
Diary of the Bee (3rd mvt, 'Forget-Me-Not')
Performer: John Bradbury. Ensemble: Victoria String Quartet.- Divine Art.
![]()
Joseph Bologne
Symphonie Concertante in A major, Op 10 No 2 (1st mvt)
Performer: Yury Revich. Performer: Libor Ježek. Performer: Pavla Honsová. Conductor: Michael Halász. Orchestra: Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice.- Naxos.
![]()
Elisabeth Lutyens
Douce Souvenance (arr for guitar)
Performer: Alexandra Whittingham. Music Arranger: Michael Lewin.- Decca.
![]()
Max Richter
And Some Will Fall (Edit)
- Decca.
![]()
Jacques Offenbach
Reverie au bord de la mer [Reverie by the Sea]
Performer: Raphaela Gromes. Performer: Julian Riem.- Sony.
![]()
Arcangelo Corelli
Concerto Grosso, Op 6 No 8 in G minor, 'Fatto per la notte di Natale' (3rd mvt)
Ensemble: Ferio Saxophone Quartet.- Chandos.
![]()
Peter Warlock
Adam Lay Ybounden (arr for choir & orchestra)
Music Arranger: Reginald Jacques. Choir: BBC Singers. Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: David Hill.- EM Records.
![]()
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
The Adventures of Robin Hood (Love Scene)
Conductor: Kevin Griffiths. Orchestra: City Light Symphony Orchestra.- Prospero Classical.
![]()
Robert Schumann
Six Canonic Studies, Op 56 (No 2)
Music Arranger: Robin Holloway. Conductor: Paul Mann. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra.- Toccata Classics.
![]()
Josef Rheinberger
Drei geistliche Gesänge, Op 69 (No 3, Abendlied)
Choir: The Gesualdo Six. Conductor: Owain Park.- Hyperion.
![]()
Arthur Bliss
Caesar & Cleaopatra (No 6, Barcarolle)
Conductor: Rumon Gamba. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.- Chandos.
![]()
Mel Bonis
Desdemona, Op 101
Performer: Maria Stembolskaya.- Ligia.
![]()
Emilie Mayer
String Quartet in E minor (3rd mvt)
Ensemble: Constanze Quartet.- CPO.
![]()
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Romance for Violin, Op 39 (1st mvt)
Performer: Elena Urioste. Conductor: Kevin John Edusei. Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra.- Decca.
![]()
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Horn Concerto in E flat major, K 447 (2nd mvt, Romance)
Performer: Sarah Willis. Conductor: José Antonio Méndez Padrón. Orchestra: Havana Lyceum Orchestra.- Alpha.
![]()
Agustín Barrios Mangoré
La Catedral (1st & 3rd mvts)
Performer: Sean Shibe.- Pentatone.
![]()
Ēriks Ešenvalds
O Salutris hostia
Ensemble: Ensemble Altera.- Alpha.
![]()
Helena Munktell
Suite for Large Orchestra (2nd mvt, 'Menuetto a l'antique')
Conductor: Tobias Ringborg. Orchestra: Gävle symfoniorkester.- Sterling.
![]()
Jon Hopkins
Dawn Chorus
Performer: Jon Hopkins.- Domino Recording Co Ltd.
![]()
Xiaogang Ye
Conatonese Suite, Op 51 (3rd mvt, 'Moonlight Reflection in the Serene Lake')
Conductor: Franck Ollu. Orchestra: Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz.- Naxos.
![]()
Mario Pasquale Costa
Era de maggio [It was May]
Performer: Andrea Cicalese. Performer: Tim Allhoff. Music Arranger: Tim Allhoff.- Sony.
![]()
Franz Schubert
Piano Trio No 2 in E flat major, Op 100 (2nd mvt)
Ensemble: Trio Bohémo.- Supraphon.
![]()
Edgar Bainton
Pavane, Idyll and Bacchanal (1st & 2nd mvts, 'Pavane & Idyll)
Conductor: Paul Daniel. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.- Chandos.
![]()
Erland Cooper
Berriedale at Dawn
Performer: Jess Gillam. Ensemble: Jess Gillam Ensemble.- Decca.
![]()
William Lloyd Webber
Invocation
Performer: Jean Kelly. Conductor: Rimma Sushanskaya. Orchestra: National Symphony Orchestra.- Quartz.
![]()
Ren Guang
Coloured Clouds Chasing The Moon
Performer: Lang Lang.- DG.
![]()
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake, Op 20 (Act II: No 13, 'Odette & the Prince' )
Performer: James Ehnes. Performer: Robert deMaine. Performer: Johannes Wik. Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.- Chandos.
![]()
Charles‐Marie Widor
Suite for Flute & Piano, Op 34 (3rd mvt, Romance)
Performer: Adam Walker. Performer: James Baillieu.- Chandos.
![]()
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
String Quartet No 6 in B flat major, K 159 (1st mvt)
Ensemble: Hagen Quartett.- DG.
![]()
Ron Goodwin
New Zealand Suite (2nd mvt, Milford Sound)
Conductor: Ron Goodwin. Orchestra: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.- Naxos.
![]()
Julie Cooper
Ourania
Performer: Justin Pearson. Performer: Julie Cooper.- Signum.
![]()
Alexander Glazunov
Valse de Concert No 1 in D major, Op 47
Conductor: Stefan Blunier. Orchestra: Beethoven Orchestra Bonn.- MDG.
![]()
Trad.
Deep River
Performer: Graham Elliott. Performer: Neil Weston. Choir: Choir of St Paul's Rock Creek Parish.- Lammas.
Broadcasts
- Thu 5 Mar 202609:00BBC Radio 3 Unwind
- Tomorrow09:00BBC Radio 3 Unwind