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Relax into the day with classical

an 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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25 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Friday09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Jean Sibelius

    Karelia Suite Op.11 (Alla marcia)

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.
    • Sibelius: Symphony No.5/Karelia Suite etc: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
    • Erato.
    • 6.

  • Francis Poulenc

    Trio for Oboe, Bassoon & Piano (2nd mvt, Andante)

    Ensemble: Salzburg Wind Philharmonic.
    • Poulenc: Chamber Music.
    • Salzburg Wind Philharmonic.
    • 102.

  • Alexander Glazunov

    Concert waltz for orchestra no. 2 (Op.51) in F major

    Orchestra: Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Orfeo.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Silent Noon (The House of Life)

    Singer: Ian Bostridge. Performer: Julius Drake.
    • Ian Bostridge: The English Songbook.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 13.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    String quartet no.12 in F major Op.96 'American' (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Escher String Quartet.
    • Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 - Tchaikovsky: String Quartet No. 1 - Borodin: Str.
    • BIS.
    • 104.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    The Bolt, Op. 27a: VIII. General Dance of Enthusiasm and Apotheosis

    Conductor: Dmitry Yablonsky. Orchestra: Russian State Symphony Orchestra.
    • Shostakovich: Orchestral Works.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.

  • Samuel Coleridge‐Taylor

    Romance, Op 39

    Performer: Elena Urioste. Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra. Conductor: Kevin John Edusei.
    • DECCA.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Five o'Clock Foxtot (After L'Enfant et les Sortilèges, M. 71)

    Performer: François-Xavier Poizat.
    • Ravel Transcriptions.
    • Aparté.
    • 116.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    Vissi d'arte (Tosca)

    Singer: Aleksandra Kurzak. Orchestra: Morphing Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Frédéric Chaslin.
    • Sony.

  • Jean‐Philippe Rameau

    Hippolyte et Aricie, Act III Scene 8: Airs de matelots, rigaudons en tambourin

    Performer: Théotime Langlois de Swarte. Performer: William Christie.
    • Le Violon de Rameau.
    • harmonia mundi.

  • Elfrida Andrée

    Prelude (Fritiof Suite)

    Orchestra: Stockholm Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Gustaf Sjökvist.
    • Sterling.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Ballade No 3 in A flat major, Op 47

    Performer: Cédric Tiberghien.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Clarinet Concerto in A Major K.622 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Julian Bliss. Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia. Conductor: Mario Venzago.
    • Nielsen: Clarinet Concerto - W.A. Mozart: Clarinet Concerto.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 401.

  • Louise Farrenc

    Nonet in E flat major, Op.38 (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Consortium Classicum.
    • Farrenc: Nonet & Clarinet Trio.
    • DIVOX.
    • 3.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Passacaille in G Major, HWV 399

    Director: Maurice Steger. Ensemble: La Cetra Barockorchester Basel.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • John Ireland

    Great Things

    Music Arranger: Roderick Williams. Singer: Roderick Williams. Orchestra: Hallé. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.
    • A Shropshire Lad: English Songs Orchestrated by Roderick Williams.
    • Halle Concerts Society.
    • 1.

  • Erik Satie

    Sonatine bureaucratique

    Performer: Pascal Rogé.
    • Satie: Piano Music.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 16.

  • Percy Grainger

    Shepherd's Hey

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Grainger: The Grainger Edition: Various Artists.
    • Chandos.
    • 2.

  • Robert Schumann

    Phantasiestücke, Op. 73: No. 1

    Performer: Gautier Capuçon. Performer: Martha Argerich.
    • Schumann: Cello Concerto & Chamber Works (Live).
    • Warner Classics.

  • William Byrd

    Mass for 5 voices (Sanctus)

    Choir: Stile Antico.
    • The Phoenix Rising.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 11.

  • Erno Dohnanyi

    Symphony No. 2 in E Major, Op. 40: II. Adagio pastorale, molto con sentimento

    Conductor: Michael Francis. Orchestra: Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland‐Pfalz.
    • Dohnányi: Symphony No. 2 in E Major, Op. 40 & Ruralia hungarica, Op. 32b.
    • CapriccioNR.
    • 102.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: III. Courante

    Performer: Sean Shibe.
    • Bach.
    • Delphian Records.
    • 3.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Trumpet Concerto in E flat major, H.7e.1 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Håkan Hardenberger. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • Haydn, Hummel etc: Trumpet Concertos: Hardenberger/Marriner.
    • Philips.
    • 10.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op. 42

    Performer: Daniil Trifonov.
    • Rachmaninov Variations.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Zoltán Kodály

    Viennese Musical Clock (Hary Janos - Suite)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: István Kertész.
    • Decca.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    String Quartet in F Major, Op. 135: I. Allegretto

    Ensemble: Doric String Quartet.
    • Beethoven: String Quartets Vol. 3.
    • Chandos.
    • 206.

  • Ruth Gipps

    Oboe Concerto in D minor Op.20 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Juliana Koch. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Arcangelo Corelli

    Sonata in B flat major, Op 5 No 11

    Performer: Frans Brüggen. Performer: Anner Bylsma. Performer: Gustav Leonhardt.
    • RCA.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Academic Festival Overture Op.80

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Brahms: The Symphonies.
    • Decca.
    • 2.

Broadcast

  • Friday09:30
    BBC Radio 3