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Relax into the day with classical

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

Today 09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No 59 in A major, 'Fire' (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Il Giardino Armonico. Conductor: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Haydn 2032, Vol. 13: Horn Signal.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 8.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Bassoon Concerto in E-Flat Major

    Performer: Miho Fukui. Ensemble: Ensemble F.
    • Concerti per Fagotto Vol. 4.
    • Ars Produktion.

  • Gabriel Fauré

    Trio pour piano, violon et violoncelle en Ré Mineur, Op. 120: I. Allegro ma non

    Ensemble: Trio Karénine.
    • Fauré, Ravel & Tailleferre.
    • Mirare.
    • 101.

  • Gregorio Allegri

    Miserere mei Deus

    Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • SIGNUM.

  • Andrzej Panufnik

    Suita Polska "Hommage a Chopin": II. Allegretto

    Performer: dora ombodi. Ensemble: Apollon Musagete Quartet.
    • Narodowy Instytut Fryderyka Chopina.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    8 Slavonic Dances, Op. 46, B.83: No. 6 in D Major (Allegretto scherzando)

    • Dvorák: Slavonic Dances Opp. 46 & 72.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 6.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    8 Slavonic Dances, Op. 46, B.83: No. 7 in C Minor (Allegro assai)

    • Dvorák: Slavonic Dances Opp. 46 & 72.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 7.

  • Béla Bartók

    Romanian Folk Dances Sz.56

    Performer: Cédric Tiberghien.
    • Bartok: Cedric Tiberghien.
    • Hyperion.
    • 1-6.

  • Hilary Tann

    Wellspring

    Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Ellie Slorach.

  • Cesare Negri

    Bizzarria d'amore

    Ensemble: Oslo Circles.
    • Bizzarrie!.
    • Lawo Classics.
    • 10.

  • Nicola Matteis

    Diverse Bizzarrie sopra la vecchia sarabanda ò pur ciaccona

    Ensemble: Oslo Circles.
    • Bizzarrie!.
    • Lawo Classics.
    • 28.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Hungarian Dance no.6 in B flat major

    Orchestrator: Albert Parlow. Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.
    • Brahms: Hungarian Dances &Dvorak: Slavonic Dances: Haitink.
    • Philips.
    • 6.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No.31 in A flat Op. 110: I Moderato cantabile molto espressivo

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida.
    • Decca.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068: II. Air

    Orchestra: Concerto Copenhagen. Conductor: Lars Ulrik Mortensen.
    • J.S. Bach: Orchestral Suites Nos. 1-4, BWV 1066-1069.
    • CPO.
    • 302.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068: III. Gavottes I & II

    Orchestra: Concerto Copenhagen. Conductor: Lars Ulrik Mortensen.
    • J.S. Bach: The Overtures (Original Versions).
    • CPO.
    • 303.

  • John Taverner

    Missa Corona Spinea - Sanctus

    Composer: Tallis Scholars. Choir: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
    • Gimmel.

  • Errollyn Wallen

    Dances for Orchestra (no.3)

    Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: John Andrews.
    • Errollyn Wallen: Orchestral Works.
    • Resonus Classics.
    • 3.

  • Béla Bartók

    Hommage à J.S.b. from Mikrokosmos, Sz 107

    Conductor: Steven Lipsitt.
    • Bartok and Kodaly.
    • Albany Records.
    • 15.

  • Charles Mingus

    Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

    Performer: Charles Mingus.
    • VIOLET HILL.

  • Arvo Pärt

    Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten

    Orchestra: Staatsorchester Stuttgart. Conductor: Dennis Russell Davies.
    • Arvo Part: Tabula Rasa.
    • ECM.
    • 2.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    Bergamasca (Ancient Airs and Dances - Suite no.2)

    Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances.
    • HMV.
    • 8.

  • Claude Debussy

    String Quartet in G minor, Op 10 (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Jerusalem Quartet.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Franz Krommer

    Symphony No.2 in D Major Op.40: IV. Allegro

    Orchestra: Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice. Conductor: Marek Štilec.
    • NAXOS.

  • Georges Bizet

    Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre (Carmen)

    Singer: Teresa Berganza. Singer: Plácido Domingo. Singer: Sherrill Milnes. Singer: Ileana Cotrubaș. Choir: Ambrosian Singers. Conductor: John McCarthy. Choir: George Watson’s College Boys’ Chorus. Conductor: Patrick Criswell. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • 111 Years Of Deutsche Grammophon The Collector's Edition Vol.2.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Samuel Barber

    Violin Concerto

    Performer: Johan Dalene. Orchestra: Norrköpings Symfoniorkester. Conductor: Daniel Blendulf.
    • Tchaikovsky & Barber: Violin Concertos.
    • BIS.
    • 201-203.

  • Luigi Boccherini

    String Quintet in E Major, Op 11 No 5, (3rd mvt), arr for orchestra

    Music Arranger: Leopold Stokowski. Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Wolfgang Sawallisch.
    • The Centenary Album.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 90.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Auf Flugeln des Gesanges

    Music Arranger: Franz Liszt.
    • Mendelssohn.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 6.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Suite Op.117 (In the summer)

    Performer: Sueye Park. Orchestra: Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Conductor: Valentin Egel.
    • Goldmark and Sibelius: Works for violin and orchestra.
    • BIS.
    • 106.

  • Hildegard von Bingen

    Ave Maria, O auctrix vite

    Ensemble: Ensemble for Medieval Music.
    • deutsche harmonia mundi.

  • Hugo Alfvén

    Shepherd Girl's Dance (The Mountain King Op.37)

    Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic. Conductor: Mariss Jansons.
    • World Encores: Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra/Jansons.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 3.

Broadcast

  • Today 09:30
    BBC Radio 3