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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 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 a masterpiece.

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29 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Today09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Leonard Bernstein

    Candide (Overture)

    Orchestra: São Paulo Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.
    • Bernstein: Anniversaries, Fancy Free Suite, Overture to Candide & Overture to Wo.
    • Naxos.
    • 101.

  • Cécile Chaminade

    La Lisonjera, Op. 50 for piano solo

    Performer: Joanne Polk.
    • The Flatterer.
    • Steinway & Sons.
    • 1.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No 103 in E flat major, 'Drum Roll' (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Haydn, 12 London Symphonies: Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre-Grenobles.
    • Naive.
    • 5.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Simon Trpceski. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vasily Petrenko.
    • Rachmaninov piano concertos 2 & 3 : Simon Trpceski, RLPO, Vasily Petrenko.
    • Avie.
    • 1.

  • Niccolò Paganini

    Caprice in E major, Op 1 No 9, 'La chasse'

    Performer: James Ehnes.
    • Paganini - 24 Caprices: James Ehnes.
    • Onyx.
    • 9.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Dixit Dominus (Dixit Dominus, HWV 232)

    Ensemble: The Sixteen. Director: Harry Christophers.
    • Great European Choral Works: The Sixteen/Christophers.
    • Coro.

  • Ernest John Moeran

    Cello Concerto (3rd movt)

    Performer: Guy Johnston. Orchestra: Ulster Orchestra. Conductor: JoAnn Falletta.
    • NAXOS.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in C major for 2 trumpets RV.537

    Performer: Håkan Hardenberger. Performer: Reinhold Friedrich. Orchestra: I Musici.
    • Philips.

  • Franz Schubert

    Der Wanderer

    Performer: Lukas Sternath. Music Arranger: Franz Liszt.

  • Eric Coates

    By the Sleepy Lagoon

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • EMI.

  • Morten Lauridsen

    La rose complète; Dirait-on (Les chansons des roses)

    Choir: Polyphony. Performer: Morten Lauridsen. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • Les Chansons Des Roses.
    • Hyperion.
    • 9-10.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor, Op 37 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Paul Lewis. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jiří Bělohlávek.
    • Beethoven Complete Piano Concertos Lewis - Belohlavek.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 3.

  • Marcel Grandjany

    Fantasy on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 31

    Performer: Xavier de Maistre.
    • Hommage à Haydn.
    • RCA Red Seal.
    • 9.

  • Matthew Coleridge

    And there was light

    Performer: Maxim Calver. Orchestra: Southern Sinfonia. Conductor: Rupert Gough.
    • CONVIVIUM RECORDS.

  • Carl Maria von Weber

    Was gleicht wohl auf Erden (Der Freischütz)

    Conductor: Marek Janowski. Orchestra: Frankfurt Radio Symphony. Choir: Leipzig MDR Radio Choir.
    • Weber: Der Freischütz, Op. 77, J. 277.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 208.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Sonata No 18 in D major, K 576 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Daniel Barenboim.
    • Mozart The Collectors Edition 50 CDs The Masterpieces The Greatest Artists.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 10.

  • Gilbert Vinter

    Hunter's Moon

    Performer: David Pyatt. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Braithwaite.
    • British Horn Concertos: Pyatt/London Philharmonic Orchestra/Braithwaite.
    • Lyrita.

  • Pietro Locatelli

    Concerto grosso in F major Op.1`1

    Ensemble: Raglan Baroque Players. Performer: Elizabeth Wallfisch. Director: Nicholas Kraemer.
    • Locatelli: 12 Concerti Grossi, op.1.
    • Hyperion.
    • 1-4.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    E lucevan le stelle (Tosca)

    Singer: Freddie De Tommaso. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Paolo Arrivabeni.
    • Il Tenore.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 6.

  • Max Richter

    While The Flood Rages

    Performer: Max Richter. Performer: Louisa Fuller. Performer: Natalia Bonner. Performer: John Metcalfe. Performer: Ian Burdge.
    • While the Flood Rages.
    • Decca.

  • Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre

    Trio sonata no. 3 in D major

    Ensemble: The Bach Players.
    • Coviello.

  • John Williams

    E.T. (Flying theme)

    Orchestra: Boston Pops Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.
    • Philips.

  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Piano Concerto No. 4

    Performer: Louis Lortie. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • CHANDOS.

  • William Byrd

    Vigilate

    Choir: Stile Antico.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Florence Price

    Symphony no.3 in C minor (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Hungarian Dance no.21 in E minor

    Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iván Fischer.
    • DECCA.

  • Clara Schumann

    Piano Trio in G minor Op.17 (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.
    • Hyperion.

  • Eric Whitacre

    Lux aurumque

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

Broadcast

  • Today09:30
    BBC Radio 3