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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 [email protected].

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 an orchestral masterpiece.

To listen on most smart speakers say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Essential Classics”

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Wed 29 Oct 202509:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in C major for 2 trumpets, RV.537

    Performer: Alison Balsom. Performer: Crispian Steele‐Perkins. Ensemble: The Parley of Instruments. Conductor: Peter Holman.
    • Music for two trumpets from the Italian Baroque.
    • Hyperion.
    • 33.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Prelude in G flat major, Op 23 No 10

    Performer: Nikolai Lugansky.
    • The Rachmaninov Experience.
    • Warner Classics and Jazz.
    • 16.

  • Carl Maria von Weber

    Clarinet Concerto no.1 in F minor Op.73 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Michael Collins. Orchestra: City of London Sinfonia. Conductor: Michael Collins.
    • Weber: Clarinet Concertos etc.: Stirling/CLS/Collins.
    • Chandos.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Academic Festival Overture Op.80

    Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iván Fischer.
    • CHANNEL.

  • Samuel Barber

    4 Songs, Op. 13: No. 3. Sure on this shining night

    Performer: Ben Kennedy. Choir: Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Choir. Conductor: Paul Spicer.
    • SOMM Recordings.

  • Roxanna Panufnik

    Tibetan Winter (4 World Seasons)

    Performer: Tasmin Little. Performer: Graham Bradshaw. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra.
    • Chandos.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony no.3 'Eroica' (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Storstrøms Kammerensemble. Conductor: 8 Bit.
    • Beethoven: Complete Symphonies.
    • Naxos.
    • 8.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 ('Italian'): 4th mvt Saltarello

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 \"Italian\", Symphony No. 5 \"Reformation\" & Th.
    • Chandos.
    • 9.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Largo (after Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056) [Arr. for Clarinet and P

    Performer: Martin Fröst. Performer: Benny Andersson. Music Arranger: Martin Fröst.
    • Largo (after Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056) [Arr. for Clarinet and P.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 1.

  • Ruth Gipps

    Horn Concerto Op. 58; 3rd mvt

    Performer: Martin Owen. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Franz Schubert

    Piano Trio in E flat major, D.929 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Renaud Capuçon. Performer: Gautier Capuçon. Performer: Frank Braley.
    • Virgin Classics.

  • Ēriks Ešenvalds

    Only In Sleep

    Choir: The Choir Of Trinity College, Cambridge. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • Northern Lights and other Choral works.
    • Hyperion.
    • 16.

  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Cello Concerto No 1 in A minor, Op 33 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Truls Mørk. Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Chandos.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    A Musical Joke, K.522: IV. Presto

    Performer: Gerd Seifert. Performer: Manfred Klier. Performer: Rainer Zepperitz. Ensemble: Amadeus Quartet.
    • DG.

  • Jonathan Dove

    Seek Him that maketh the Seven Stars

    Performer: Jeremy Filsell. Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • SIGNUM.

  • Benjamin Britten

    Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes (Dawn)

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Chandos.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Songs of Travel (The Infinite Shining Heavens)

    Singer: Christopher Maltman. Performer: Roger Vignoles.
    • Hyperion.

  • Francesco Geminiani

    Concerto grosso in E minor Op3 no.6

    Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
    • Oiseau Lyre.

  • Charles‐Valentin Alkan

    Le chemin de fer, Op. 27

    Performer: Yui Morishita.
    • ALKAN Piano Collection 2 «Concerto».
    • ALM RECORDS.
    • 6.

  • Philip Glass

    Violin Concerto, 2nd mvt.

    Performer: Mari Samuelsen. Orchestra: Berlin Concerthouse Orchestra. Conductor: Jonathan Stockhammer.
    • Mari.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 9.

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    The Sicilian Vespers; Montfort's Aria (Act 3)

    Singer: Quinn Kelsey. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Speranza Scappucci.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No. 6 in D Major, Op. 104

    Conductor: Santtu-Matias Rouvali. Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra.
    • Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7, The Tempest.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 1.

  • George Frideric Handel

    All we, like sheep, have gone astray (Messiah)

    Ensemble: Dunedin Consort. Director: John Butt.
    • LINN.

  • Michael Haydn

    Duo for violin and viola No 2 in D major, P128 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Rachel Podger. Performer: Jane Rogers.
    • Mozart & M Haydn: Duo Sonatas.
    • Channel Classics.
    • 11.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Czech suite, Op.39 (Sousedska)

    Orchestra: North German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Thomas Hengelbrock.
    • Sony.

  • Domenico Scarlatti

    Sonata in A major, K 279

    Performer: Anne Queffélec.
    • MIRARE.

  • Franz Lehár

    Sirens of the Ball (The Merry Widow)

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
    • Vienna Soiree.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 3.

Broadcast

  • Wed 29 Oct 202509:30
    BBC Radio 3