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Your perfect classical playlist

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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11 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Mon 18 May 2026 09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Georges Bizet

    L'Arlésienne Suite No 1 (Carillon)

    Orchestra: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jesús López Cobos.
    • Bizet: Carmen Suite, Symphony No. 1: Jesus Lopez-Cobos.
    • Telarc.
    • 10.

  • Luise Adolpha Le Beau

    Cello Sonata (1st mvt)

    Performer: Steven Isserlis. Performer: Connie Shih.
    • HYPERION.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Concerto Grosso in G major, Op.3`3

    Orchestra: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Erato.

  • Anton Bruckner

    Locus Iste

    Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: David Hill.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Violin Concerto in D major, Op.61 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Janine Jansen. Orchestra: The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. Conductor: Paavo Järvi.
    • Beethove/Britten: Violin Concertos: Janine Jansen/Paavo Jarvi.
    • Decca.
    • 3.

  • Frank Bridge

    Cherry ripe

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.
    • HYPERION.

  • Bernhard Crusell

    Introduction and Variations on a Swedish Song

    Performer: Martin Fröst. Orchestra: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Roots.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 5.

  • Franz Schubert

    Auf dem Wasser zu singen D.774

    Singer: Felicity Lott. Performer: Graham Johnson.
    • The Hyperion Schubert Edition - 19.
    • Hyperion Records.
    • 14.

  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Wedding-Cake - Caprice-Waltz in A flat major Op.76

    Performer: Louis Lortie. Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • CHANDOS : CHSA 5162.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 20.

  • Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber

    Partia V in G Minor: Passacaglia

    Performer: Florian Deuter. Performer: Mónica Waisman. Ensemble: Harmonie Universelle.
    • Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber: Harmonia artificioso-ariosa.
    • Accent.
    • 205.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Symphony No 5 in D major, Op 107, 'Reformation' (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
    • LSO.

  • Edward Elgar

    Piano Quintet in A minor, Op.84 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Piers Lane. Ensemble: Goldner String Quartet.
    • Elgar: Piano Quintet; String Quartet.
    • Hyperion.
    • 9.

  • Richard Wagner

    Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Prelude)

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Enrique Bátiz.
    • Orchestral Lollipops: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Enrique Batiz.
    • RPO.
    • 14.

  • Alma Mahler-Werfel

    5 Lieder: No. 4, Bei dir ist es traut

    Music Arranger: Clytus Gottwald. Choir: SWR Vocal Ensemble, Stuttgart. Conductor: Marcus Creed.
    • Clytus Gottwald - Alma und Gustav Mahler.
    • Carus.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Partita no.5 in G major BWV.829 (Allemande)

    Performer: Igor Levit.
    • Bach: Keyboard Partitas Nos. 1-6.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 9.

  • Lionel Bart

    Who Will Buy?

    Singer: Gregory Bradley. Ensemble: The "Oliver! 1994" Company.
    • Oliver! (1994 London Palladium Cast Recording).
    • First Night Records.
    • 21.

  • George Butterworth

    Six Songs from A Shropshire Lad: No. 1, Loveliest of trees

    Orchestrator: Roderick Williams. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder. Orchestra: Hallé.
    • A Shropshire Lad: English Songs Orchestrated by Roderick Williams.
    • Halle.
    • 5.

  • Don Redman

    Cherry

    Composer: Ray Gilbert. Performer: Chet Baker. Ensemble: Gerry Mulligan.
    • Time After Time Vol.1.
    • Documents.
    • 15.

  • Max Bruch

    Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra in E Minor, Op. 88: 2nd mvt

    Performer: Ecesu Sertesen. Performer: Kyoungmin Park. Orchestra: Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Howard Griffiths.
    • Bruch: Double Concertos, Adagio appassionato & Loreley Overture.
    • Sony Classical/Sony Music.
    • 8.

  • Heinrich Schütz

    Ich bin die rufende Stimme

    Ensemble: Ensemble Polyharmonique.
    • Raumklang.

  • Florence Price

    Drink to me only (5 Folksongs in Counterpoint)

    Ensemble: Catalyst Quartet.
    • Uncovered, Vol. 2: Florence B. Price.
    • Azica Records.
    • 15.

  • Robert Schumann

    Dichterliebe, Op. 48: No. 12, Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen

    Performer: Sholto Kynoch. Singer: Helen Charlston.
    • A Poet's Love.
    • BIS.
    • 23.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony no.8 in G major Op.88 (3rd mvt)

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

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Piano Concerto No. 2, Op.16

    Performer: Jean‐Efflam Bavouzet. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda.
    • CHANDOS.

  • François‐Joseph Gossec

    Tambourin (Le Triomphe de la Republique)

    Music Arranger: Charles Gerhardt. Performer: James Galway. Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Gerhardt.
    • James Galway - Celebrating 70 - A collection of Personal Favourites.
    • RCA.
    • 3.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Quartet for oboe and strings in F major, K.370 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Alexei Ogrintchouk. Performer: Boris Brovtsyn. Performer: Maxim Rysanov. Performer: Kristina Blaumane.
    • Mozart: Music for the Oboe.
    • BIS.
    • 1.

  • Richard Strauss

    Vier letzte Lieder, Op. posth., TrV 296: II. September

    Singer: Felicity Lott. Conductor: Neeme Järvi. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
    • Strauss: Four Last Songs.
    • Chandos.
    • 102.

  • Moritz Moszkowski

    Étincelles (8 Morceaux caracteristiques Op.36)

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Hyperion.

  • Astor Piazzolla

    Libertango

    Performer: Ksenija Sidorova. Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Clark Rundell.
    • Piazzolla Reflections.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 15.

Broadcast

  • Mon 18 May 2026 09:30
    BBC Radio 3