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Ease into the evening with calm classical music

Niall Breslin brings you calming classical music to help you release the stresses of the day, recharge and prepare to rest.

Three hours of calming classical music to help you release the stresses of the day, recharge and prepare to rest - presented by Irish musician and mindfulness expert Niall Breslin.

This episode features a rich blend of music from the likes of Rachel Portman, Eric Whitacre and Reena Esmail. Plus, a chance to Press Pause with meditation teacher Michael James Wong, and some essential Wind Down Wisdom from science podcaster Caroline Steel on the power of touch.

To listen on most smart speakers just ask BBC Sounds to play Classical Wind Down.

3 hours

Last on

Fri 2 Jan 202617:00
BBC Radio 3 Unwind

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Music Played

  • Alonso Lobo

    Versa est in luctum

    Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • Signum Records.

  • Maurice Ravel

    La vallée des cloches (Miroirs, No 5)

    Performer: Bruce Liu.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Concerto in C major for flute and harp K.299 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Emmanuel Pahud. Performer: Marie‐Pierre Langlamet. Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Mozart Flute Concertos Concerto For Flute And Harp.
    • EMI Classics.

  • Thomas Tallis

    Spem in alium

    Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Stephen Cleobury.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Keyboard Concerto No 5 in F minor, BWV 1056 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Glenn Gould. Orchestra: Columbia Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Golschmann.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Sally Greenaway

    Dawn Of Evening

    Performer: Sally Whitwell.
    • Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC).

  • Eric Whitacre

    The Sacred Veil: Child of Wonder

    Performer: Christopher Glynn. Performer: Emma Denton. Choir: VOCES8. Conductor: Eric Whitacre.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd.

  • Michael Rooney

    Land's End

    Performer: Geraldine O'Doherty.
    • Signum Classics.

  • Katia Beaugeais

    Like Snowdrops You Will Shine

    Performer: Helena Rathbone. Ensemble: ACO Collective.

  • Emanuele Barbella

    Mandolin Concerto (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Avi Avital. Orchestra: Il Giardino Armonico. Conductor: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Concertos.
    • DG.
    • 8.

  • Peter Boyer

    Elegy for English Horn, Harp & String Orchestra

    Performer: Christine Pendrill. Performer: Bryn Lewis. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Boyer.
    • Naxos.

  • John Field

    Nocturne no.5 in B flat major

    Performer: Benjamin Frith.
    • NAXOS.

  • Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges

    Violin Concerto in A Major, Op. 7 No. 1: II. Adagio

    Performer: Fumika Mohri. Orchestra: Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice. Conductor: Michael Halász.
    • Naxos.

  • Ola Gjeilo

    Dreamsong (Dreamweaver)

    Performer: Ola Gjeilo. Lyricist: Charles Anthony Silvestri. Singer: Grace Davidson. Conductor: Rupert Gough. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: Choir of Royal Holloway.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..

  • Arnold Schoenberg

    Notturno, for violin, harp and string orchestra

    Performer: Daniel Hope. Performer: Jane Berthe. Orchestra: Zürcher Kammerorchester.
    • DG.

  • Amy Beach

    Young Birches, Op. 128, No. 2

    Performer: Christopher Hopkins.
    • ARABESQUE.

  • Shigeru Umebayashi

    Fue - Snow Vase

    Conductor: Shigeru Umebayashi. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Rachel Portman

    We All Complete (Never Let Me Go OST)

    • Hollywood Records.

  • Luise Adolpha Le Beau

    Symphony No 1 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Geoffrey Paterson.

  • Arcade Fire & Owen Pallett

    Song on the Beach

    • Masterworks.

  • Sarah Frances Jenkins

    Music and Meditation

    Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Ben Palmer.

  • Frank Bridge

    The Sea - suite for orchestra

    Ensemble: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Yan Pascal Tortelier.
    • GBBBC.

  • Eleanor Daley

    Grandmother Moon

    Choir: Pembroke College Girls' Choir. Conductor: Anna Lapwood.
    • Signum Classics.

  • Edmund Finnis

    String Quartet No 2 (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Manchester Collective.
    • Bedroom Community.

  • Rosey Chan

    Chorale in E Flat

    Performer: Rosey Chan.
    • Rosey Chan.

  • Reena Esmail

    Saans

    Ensemble: Darshan Trio.
    • Darshan Trio & Reena Esmail.

  • Claire M Singer

    Wrangham

    Performer: Claire M Singer.
    • Touch.

  • Jamie W. Hall

    O nata lux

    Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Sofi Jeannin.

  • John Dowland

    The Frog Galliard

    Performer: Christoph Denoth.
    • Signum Records.

  • Lili Boulanger

    D'un vieux jardin

    Performer: Kunal Lahiry.
    • Fuga Libera.

  • James Whitbourn

    Requiem canticorum: Pie Jesu

    Performer: Ken Cowan. Performer: Jeremy Powell. Choir: Westminster Williamson Voices. Conductor: James Jordan.
    • Naxos.

  • Elori Saxl

    The Blue of Distance

    • Western Vinyl.

  • Tan Dun

    8 Memories in Watercolor: No 7, Floating Clouds

    Performer: Warren Lee.
    • Naxos.

  • Cheryl Frances-Hoad

    Vocalise

    Performer: Camilla Pay. Performer: Eliza Marshall. Performer: Nick Ellis. Ensemble: Korros Ensemble.
    • Convivium Records Limited.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Lilacs (Romance, Op 21, No 5)

    Performer: Dmitri Alexeev.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Richard Laurence

    As She Lay

    Performer: Richard Laurence.

  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold

    Suite, Op.23 (4th mvt)

    Performer: Eldar Nebolsin. Ensemble: Spectrum Concerts Berlin.
    • Naxos.

  • Lucy Claire

    Willow

    • 1631 Recordings.

  • Eric Whitacre

    October, arr for marimba orchestra

    Performer: Joby Burgess. Performer: Sam Wilson. Performer: Calum Huggan. Performer: Rob Farrer. Music Arranger: Joby Burgess.
    • Signum Records.

Broadcasts

  • Thu 9 Jan 202518:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Mon 27 Jan 202518:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Sun 6 Apr 202518:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Sat 28 Jun 202518:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Fri 2 Jan 202617:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind