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Let go of the day with soothing 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 Olafur Arnalds, Caroline Shaw and Li Zemin. Plus, a chance to Press Pause with meditation teacher Maude Hirst, and some Wind Down Wisdom from science podcaster Caroline Shaw on how gentle movement like Pilates can help you let go of the day.

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

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3 hours

Last on

Thursday17:00
BBC Radio 3 Unwind

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Music Played

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Adagio for glass harmonica in C major, K356

    Performer: Thomas Bloch.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Violin Concerto in B flat major RV 583 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Giuliano Carmignola. Orchestra: Venice Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Andrea Marcon.
    • Archiv Produktion.

  • Clara Schumann

    Piano Sonata in G minor (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Isata Kanneh‐Mason.
    • Decca.

  • Ólafur Arnalds

    Fyrsta

    • Erased Tapes.

  • Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet No 1 in B flat major, Hob.III.1 (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: The Angeles String Quartet.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..

  • Olivia Belli

    Respiro 3

    • Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd.

  • Caroline Shaw

    and the swallow

    Choir: Ars Nova Copenhagen. Conductor: Paul Hillier.
    • Naxos.

  • Lucy Claire

    Kaiwata Tsuki - The Barren Moon

    • 1631 Recordings.

  • Arvo Pärt

    Silouan's Song

    Orchestra: Lausanne Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Renaud Capuçon.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Jean‐Michel Blais

    outsiders

    • Arts & Crafts.

  • Claude Debussy

    Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune

    Orchestra: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Donald Runnicles.
    • GBBBC.

  • Angus MacRae

    Wolves

    • 1631 Recordings.

  • Dorothy Howell

    Piece No 1 for Muted Strings

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Collins.

  • Li Zemin

    Horizon

    Performer: Li Zemin.
    • Tombola Music.

  • William Walton

    Touch Her Soft Lips (Henry V)

    Music Arranger: Bob Chilcott. Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • Signum Classics.

  • Gabriel Fauré

    Apres un reve

    Music Arranger: Pau Casals. Performer: Sheku Kanneh‐Mason. Performer: Isata Kanneh‐Mason.
    • Decca.

  • Kiara Leonard

    Elegie

    • A-P RECORDS AB.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra No 7 in F Major, KV 242 "Lodron" (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Carmen Piazzini. Performer: Alfredo Perl. Orchestra: St. Petersburg Soloists. Conductor: Mikhail Gantvarg.
    • Krapes.

  • Joanne Gardiner

    Countryside Mansion

    • A-P RECORDS AB.

  • Eric Whitacre

    Sleep

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

  • Nils Frahm

    Them

    • Late Night Tales.

  • Michael Praetorius

    Es ist ein Ros entsprungen

    Choir: VOCES8.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..

  • Tayla-Leigh Payne

    Meditation

    Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Daniel Parkinson.

  • Luke Howard

    Open

    • Mercury Classics.

  • Maurice Duruflé

    Ubi caritas et amor (Quatre Motets, Op 10)

    Lyricist: Anon.. Choir: Choir of New College Oxford. Conductor: Edward Higginbottom.
    • Decca (UMO).

  • Anne Dudley

    Resurgam (Poldark OST)

    Orchestra: The Chamber Orchestra of London. Conductor: Anne Dudley.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Agnes Obel

    It's Happening Again - instrumental

    • Play It Again Sam.

  • Carlo Domeniconi

    Koyunbaba, Op.19 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Miloš Karadaglić.
    • DG.

  • Eva Holm Foosnaes

    Tre sanger til skogen: Villfugl

    Composer: Hans Børli. Choir: Kammerkoret Aurum. Conductor: Eva Holm Foosnaes.
    • 2L.

  • Alexis Ffrench

    Once

    • Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Sheep may safely graze (Cantata No 208) arr. Stokowski

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Matthias Bamert.
    • Chandos.

  • Hideyuki Hashimoto

    190306-11

    Performer: Hideyuki Hashimoto.
    • paper recordings.

  • Frederick Delius

    On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring

    Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.

  • Kyo Hiroshi

    this particular sadness

    • Piano Peace.

  • John Tavener

    2 Hymns to the Mother of God: I. Hymn to the Mother of God

    Lyricist: Anon.. Choir: Winchester Cathedral Choir. Conductor: Andrew Lumsden.
    • Hyperion.

  • Max Richter

    we circle through the night, consumed by fire (Recorded at Spotify Studios NYC)

    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Lewis Bolland

    Waltz 28 (Sleep Remix)

    Performer: Lewis Bolland.

  • Jean‐Philippe Rameau

    Les Boréades (Act 5, Sc 1: Prelude)

    Orchestra: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Archiv.

  • Toru Takemitsu

    Piano Pieces for Children: No. 2. Clouds

    Performer: Kotaro Fukuma.
    • Naxos.

  • Phil France

    The Swimmer

    • Philip France.

  • Paddy Mulcahy

    Waltz Sketch

    • 1631 Recordings.

  • Mijongya

    Echoes of Twilight

    • Mijongya.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 19 Jan 202518:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Wed 12 Feb 202518:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Fri 11 Apr 202518:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Fri 4 Jul 202518:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Thursday17:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind