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Celebrating classical greats

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 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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29 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Yesterday09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Edward Elgar

    Salut d'amour

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Wilson.

  • Robert Schumann

    KonzertstĂŒck in F major, Op 86 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Nigel Black. Performer: Laurence Davies. Performer: Laurence Rogers. Performer: Peter Blake. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Christian Thielemann.
    • Schumann Symphony no.2 / 'Manfred' Overture etc..
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 002.

  • Fanny Mendelssohn

    No.1 from Four Songs for Piano, Op.8

    Performer: Giorgi Gigashvili.

  • Carl Nielsen

    Serenata in vano

    Ensemble: Athena Ensemble.
    • Nielsen: Wind Music.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 4.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No 4 in G Major (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58: III. Rondo. Vivace.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 1.

  • Elena Kats‐Chernin

    Wild Swans - Concert Suite, 7. Knitting Needle

    Singer: Jane Sheldon. Conductor: Ola Rudner. Orchestra: Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.
    • Wild Swans.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 7.

  • Jean‐Baptiste Lully

    Phaeton (Chaconne)

    Ensemble: Les Talens Lyriques. Director: Christophe Rousset.
    • APARTE.

  • Anton Stepanovich Arensky

    Piano Quintet in D major, Op 51 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Piers Lane. Ensemble: Goldner String Quartet.
    • Taneyev; Arensky - Piano Quintets.
    • Hyperion.
    • 7.

  • Camille Saint‐SaĂ«ns

    Danse macabre, Op. 40

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme JĂ€rvi.
    • Saint-SaĂ«ns: Orchestral Works.
    • Chandos.
    • 104.

  • Innocentius Dammonis

    Amor JesĂč divino

    Ensemble: Le Miroir de Musique. Conductor: Baptiste Romain.
    • Ubi caritas. Italian Laude in Early Renaissance.
    • Ricercar.
    • 7.

  • FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin

    Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor: IV. FInale

    Performer: Ingrid Fliter.
    • Ingrid Fliter Plays Chopin & Beethoven.
    • Parlophone Records Limited.
    • 26.

  • Frederick Delius

    A Dance Rhapsody No. 2

    Orchestra: Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Delius: Orchestral Works.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 9.

  • Hugo AlfvĂ©n

    Swedish Rhapsody No 1, Op 19 (Midsummer Vigil)

    Orchestra: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Stig Westerberg.
    • The Swedish Orchestra.
    • Naxos Sweden - Caprice.
    • 6.

  • Dora Pejačević

    Cello sonata in E minor, Op.35 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Christian Poltéra. Performer: Oliver Triendl.
    • Pejacevic: Trio & Sonata.
    • CPO.
    • 6.

  • Henry Purcell

    Hears Not My Phillis How the Birds (The Knotting Song)

    Conductor: Robert King. Ensemble: The King's Consort. Singer: James Bowman.
    • Purcell: Mr Henry Purcell's Most Admirable Composures.
    • Hyperion.
    • 7.

  • Hermann Severin LĂžvenskiold

    La Sylphide, Act 2: I. The Witch Scene

    Conductor: David Garforth. Orchestra: Royal Danish Orchestra.
    • Lovenskiold: La Sylphide.
    • Chandos.
    • 109.

  • François Couperin

    Pieces de clavecin, Book 3: Les Tricoteuses (23e Ordre)

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud.
    • François Couperin: Tic toc choc.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 6.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Rigaudon (Le tombeau de Couperin)

    Orchestra: Orchestre de Paris – Philharmonie. Conductor: Josep Pons.
    • Ravel: Jeux de Miroirs.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Charles Villiers Stanford

    Songs of the Fleet, Op. 117: III. The Middle-Watch

    Singer: Gerald Finley. Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Choir: BBC National Chorus of Wales. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Stanford: Songs of the Fleet, Songs of the Sea & A Ballad of the Fleet.
    • Chandos.
    • 103.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Serenade No 2 in A major, Op 16 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Gewandhaus Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Decca.

  • Orlando Gibbons

    Pavan and Galliard for 6 viols

    Ensemble: Fretwork.
    • My Days.
    • Signum Records.
    • 1-2.

  • Madeleine Dring

    Love and Time: No. 2, Ah, How Sweet It Is to Love!

    Performer: Julius Drake. Singer: Kitty Whately.
    • Through the Centuries: Songs of Madeleine Dring.
    • Chandos.
    • 108.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    String Serenade Op.48 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme JĂ€rvi.
    • Tchaikovsky: Symphony no.4: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra/Jarvi.
    • BIS.
    • 6.

  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold

    Violin Concerto in D, Op.35

    Performer: Vilde Frang. Orchestra: Frankfurt Radio Symphony. Conductor: James Gaffigan.
    • WARNER.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Suite for Jazz Band No 1 (Foxtrot)

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.
    • Shostakovich: Hypothetically Murdered etc.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 33.

  • William Denis Browne

    The Isle of Lost Dreams

    Performer: George Ireland. Singer: Hugh Cutting.

  • AntonĂ­n Dvoƙák

    Slavonic Rhapsody in A flat major Op.45 no.3

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Kurt Masur.
    • PHILIPS ELOQUENCE.

  • Florence Price

    Piano Quintet in A minor (3rd mvt: Juba)

    Performer: Marc‐AndrĂ© Hamelin. Ensemble: TakĂĄcs Quartet.
    • Hyperion.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    March: Seventeen come Sunday

    Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • DECCA.

Broadcast

  • Yesterday09:30
    BBC Radio 3