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Great classical music 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 a masterpiece.

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29 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Yesterday 09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K.550 (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt.
    • BR KLASSIK.

  • William Byrd

    Ave verum corpus

    Conductor: Stephen Cleobury. Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
    • Byrd: Motets.
    • Kings College Cambridge.
    • 15.

  • Ester Mägi

    Bukoolika

    Orchestra: Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Arvo Volmer.
    • Magi: Orchestral Music.
    • Toccata Classics.
    • 5.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Brandenburg Concerto No 5 in D major, BWV 1050 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Lisa Beznosiuk. Performer: Malcolm Proud. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Director: Elizabeth Wallfisch.
    • J.S. Bach: The Brandenburg Concertos; Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 4.

  • Leoš Janáček

    On an overgrown path (The little owl has not flown away)

    Performer: Thomas Adès.
    • Signum.

  • Isaac Albéniz

    El Albaicin (Iberia - Suite)

    Orchestrator: Enrique Fernández Arbós. Orchestra: Orchestre de Paris – Philharmonie. Conductor: Daniel Barenboim.
    • Albeniz: Argerich, Barenboim.
    • Erato.
    • 5.

  • Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet, Op.20`1 in E flat major (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Hagen Quartett.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Claude Debussy

    La cathédrale engloutie

    Orchestrator: Henry Wood. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Braithwaite.
    • Orchestrations by Sir Henry Wood: London Philharmonic Orchestra/Braithwaite.
    • Lyrita.
    • 6.

  • Giovanni Gabrieli

    Deus, deus meus a 10

    Choir: VOCES8. Ensemble: Ringmasters.
    • Decca.

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Concerto in D major, TWV 53:D2

    Orchestra: La Stagione Frankfurt. Conductor: Michael Schneider.
    • CPO.

  • Edward Elgar

    Symphony no.2 in E flat major Op.63 (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Davis.
    • Elgar: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 203.

  • Franz Schubert

    Piano Quintet in A major, D 667, 'The Trout' - 4th movement, Theme and Variations

    Performer: Thomas Adès. Performer: Corina Belcea. Performer: Krzysztof Chorzelski. Performer: Alasdair Tait. Performer: Corin Long.
    • EMI.

  • Pauline Hall

    Julius Caesar Suite

    Orchestra: Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Conductor: Christian Eggen.
    • Norway in Music: Pauline Hall.
    • Simax.
    • 5-8.

  • Edward Elgar

    Owls, Op 53, No 4

    Choir: London Symphony Chorus. Conductor: Vernon Handley.
    • Elgar: Choral Songs: London Symphony Chorus/Handley.
    • Hyperion.
    • 18.

  • Robert Schumann

    Vogel als prophet

    Performer: Víkingur Ólafsson.
    • DG.

  • John Tavener

    Song for Athene

    Choir: Gabrieli Consort. Conductor: Paul McCreesh.
    • DG.

  • Alexander Borodin

    In the steppes of central Asia

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy.
    • Borodin: In the Steppes of Central Asia; Symphonies Nos.1 & 2.
    • Decca.
    • 1.

  • George Gershwin

    Summertime

    Performer: Kevin Miller. Performer: Kevin Miller. Music Arranger: John Holiday. Music Arranger: John Holiday. Singer: John Holiday. Singer: John Holiday.
    • Over My Head.
    • Pentatone.
    • 113.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto for 2 cellos in G minor, RV 531

    Performer: Vladimir Waltham. Performer: Carina Drury. Ensemble: La Serenissima. Director: Adrian Chandler.
    • Vivaldi X2².
    • Signum Classics.
    • 4.

  • Bedrich Smetana

    The Bartered Bride (Overture)

    Orchestra: Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Conductor: Darrell Ang.
    • Smetana: Triumphal Symphony & Overture and Dances from The Bartered Bride.
    • Naxos.
    • 5.

  • Fanny Mendelssohn

    Piano Trio in D minor, Op.11

    Ensemble: Trio Chausson.
    • Mirare.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Andante festivo

    Orchestra: Lahti Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Osmo Vänskä.
    • BIS.

  • Franz Liszt

    Hungarian Rhapsody No 1 in F minor

    Orchestrator: Franz Liszt. Orchestrator: Franz Doppler. Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iván Fischer.
    • The Liszt Collection.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 1.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Prelude, Op 12 No 7 (Ten Pieces for piano)

    Performer: Boris Berman.
    • Prokofiev: Piano Music Vol.6: Bori Berman.
    • Chandos.

  • Christoph Willibald Gluck

    Dance of the Blessed Spirits (Orfeo ed Euridice)

    Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Classical Hits: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 3.

Broadcast

  • Yesterday 09:30
    BBC Radio 3