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A classical soundtrack for your morning

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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29 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Today 09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Claude Debussy

    Reverie for piano

    Performer: Jean‐Efflam Bavouzet.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Alexander Glazunov

    Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, Op. 48: II. Scherzo. Allegro vivace

    Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Tadaaki Otaka.
    • Glazunov: Symphonies Nos. 4 and 8.
    • BIS.
    • 102.

  • Clara Schumann

    Evening celebration in Venice (3 Part Songs)

    Choir: North German Radio Choir. Conductor: Philipp Ahmann.
    • Es-Dur.

  • Bernhard Crusell

    Crusell: Concerto No. 3 in B-flat Major for Clarinet and Orchestra, Op. 11 - 3.

    Performer: Emma Johnson. Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Gerard Schwarz.
    • Crusell: The 3 Clarinet Concertos.
    • Decca (UMO).
    • 9.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Prelude in B flat major, Op.23 No.2

    Performer: Steven Osborne.
    • HYPERION.

  • Leonard Bernstein

    Wonderful Town (Overture)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Bernstein: Wonderful Town.
    • LSO Live.
    • 1.

  • Gustav Holst

    Brook Green Suite H.190

    Orchestra: City of London Sinfonia. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Gabriel Fauré

    Piano Trio in D Minor, Op. 120: II. Andantino

    Performer: Daniel Ottensamer. Performer: Stephan Koncz. Performer: Christoph Traxler.
    • The Clarinet Trio Anthology.
    • Universal Music GmbH.
    • 38.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Violin Concerto in E minor, Op.64 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Alina Ibragimova. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski.
    • Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos: Ibragimova/OAE/Jurowski.
    • Hyperion.
    • 3.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Bushes and Briars

    Choir: The Gesualdo Six. Conductor: Owain Park.
    • Vaughan Williams: Bushes and Briars.
    • Hyperion.
    • 1.

  • Mel Bonis

    Le Rêve de Cléopâtre

    Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lyon. Conductor: Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider.
    • Bru Zane.

  • Antoine Reicha

    Octet in E Flat Major, Op. 96: IV. Finale. Allegro

    Ensemble: Consortium Classicum.
    • Reicha: Octet in E Flat Major, Op. 96 - Blanc: Septet in E Major, Op. 40.
    • Orfeo.
    • 4.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No 2 (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic. Conductor: Klaus Mäkelä.
    • Sibelius: Complete Symphonies.
    • Decca.

  • Dobrinka Tabakova

    Nocturne

    Performer: Evelyn Chang.
    • AVIE.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Liebster Gott, wann werd ich sterben (Cantata no.8)

    Ensemble: Collegium Vocale Gent. Conductor: Philippe Herreweghe.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Aaron Copland

    Our Town: The Story Of Our Town

    Performer: Eric Parkin.
    • Aaron Copland: Piano Music.
    • Silva Screen Records Ltd.
    • 7.

  • George Gershwin

    An American in Paris

    Music Arranger: Jascha Heifetz. Performer: Tamsin Waley-Cohen. Performer: Huw Watkins.
    • An American In Paris: Tamsin Waley-Cohen/Huw Watkins.
    • Champs Hill.
    • 5.

  • Jim Parker

    A Londoner in New York: I. Grand Central

    Conductor: Philip Jones. Ensemble: Philip Jones Brass Ensemble.
    • Lollipops.
    • Claves Records.
    • 13.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Humoresque in G flat major, Op. 101 No. 7

    Performer: Itzhak Perlman. Performer: Yo‐Yo Ma. Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.
    • Dvorák In Prague: A Celebration (Remastered).
    • Sony.
    • 4.

  • Francis Poulenc

    Montparnasse

    Performer: Pascal Rogé. Singer: Felicity Lott.
    • Decca.

  • Charlotte Harding

    Euphotic

    Performer: Huw Wiggin. Performer: Oliver Wass.
    • Elements.
    • Orchid Classics.
    • 2.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto for mandolin and orchestra RV.425 in C major [complete]

    Performer: Ugo Orlandi. Orchestra: I Solisti Veneti. Conductor: Claudio Scimone.
    • ERATO.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Così fan tutte (Overture)

    Orchestra: Staatskapelle Dresden. Conductor: Colin Davis.
    • Mozart: Overtures: Staatskapelle Dresden/Davis.
    • RCA.
    • 7.

  • Erno Dohnanyi

    Variations on a Nursery Song

    Performer: Sir András Schiff. Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Georg Solti.
    • Decca.

  • Franz Schubert

    An die Musik, D547

    Performer: James Baillieu. Singer: Benjamin Appl.
    • For Dieter: The Past and the Future.
    • Alpha Classics.

  • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

    Clarinet Quintet in F sharp minor Op.10 (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.
    • Coleridge-Taylor: Piano Quintet, Clarinet Quintet.
    • HYPERION.
    • 8.

  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Romance in F Major, Op 36

    Performer: Ben Goldscheider. Orchestra: Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Howard Griffiths.
    • Saint-Saëns: Complete Concertos.
    • Berlin Classics.

  • Philip Glass

    The Windcatcher, Pt. III

    Ensemble: Lautten Compagney. Conductor: Wolfgang Katschner.
    • Philip Glass - Recent Recordings.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 8.

  • Carl Maria von Weber

    Invitation to the dance

    Orchestrator: Hector Berlioz. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Juanjo Mena.
    • CHANDOS.

Broadcast

  • Today 09:30
    BBC Radio 3