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Start the day with soothing harmonies

Calming classical music to inspire focus and set you up for the day ahead. Presented by broadcaster, author and counselling psychologist Dr Sian Williams.

Calming classical music to help you focus and set you up for the day ahead. Presented by broadcaster, author and counselling psychologist Dr Sian Williams.

Featuring relaxing harmonies and bewitching melodies from Stopford, Debussy and Mayer. Sian stumbles upon some spider's webs while out to Take a Breath and Professor Catherine Loveday explains how writing music down has changed the way it has been able to evolve.

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3 hours

Last on

Last Sunday09:00
BBC Radio 3 Unwind

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Music Played

  • Alberto Nepomuceno

    Brazilian Suite (3rd mvt, 'Napping in a Hammock')

    Conductor: Fabio Mechetti. Orchestra: Orquestra filarmônica de Minas Gerais.
    • Naxos.

  • Mel Bonis

    Phoebé, Op 30 (Legendary Women)

    Performer: Antonio Oyarzabal.
    • IBS.

  • Karl Jenkins

    Stabat mater (Ave verum corpus)

    Choir: Polyphony. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • DG.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Adagio in C major for glass harmonica, K 356 (Transcribed for piano)

    Performer: Kun Woo Paik.
    • Decca.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Symphony No 2 in G major, 'A London Symphony' (2nd mvt)

    Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra.
    • Warner.

  • Alexina Louie

    Music for Piano (2nd mvt, 'Changes')

    Performer: Susan Chan.
    • Naxos.

  • Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges

    Violin Concerto in D major, No 1 Op 3 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Zhou Qian. Conductor: Kevin Mallon. Orchestra: Toronto Chamber Orchestra.
    • Naxos.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    6 Pieces For Piano, P44, arr for harp (No 3, Notturno)

    Performer: Magdalena Hoffmann.
    • DG.

  • Emilie Mayer

    Piano Concerto in B flat major (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Ewa Kupiec. Conductor: Sebastian Tewinkel. Orchestra: Neubrandenburger Philharmonie.
    • Capriccio.

  • Henriëtte Bosmans

    String Quartet (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Solem Quartet.
    • Delphian.

  • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

    Petite Suite de Concert, Op 77 (2nd mvt, 'Question & Answer')

    Conductor: Anthony Parnther. Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra.
    • Decca.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Nocturne No 21 in C minor, Op posth

    Performer: Justin Taylor.
    • Alpha.

  • Gabriel Fauré

    Après un rêve (3 songs, Op 7)

    Performer: Peter Moore. Performer: James Baillieu.
    • Rubicon.

  • Cipriani Potter

    Symphony in D major (3rd mvt)

    Conductor: Howard Griffiths. Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
    • CPO.

  • Grace Williams

    Elegy

    Conductor: Owain Arwel Hughes. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Rubicon.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Keyboard Suite in G minor, HWV 434 (4th mvt, Menuet)

    Performer: Shani Diluka.
    • Warner.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op 61 (No 7, Notturno)

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

  • Sir Arthur Somervell

    Symphony in D minor, 'Thalassa' (2nd mvt, Elegy)

    Conductor: Michael Laus. Orchestra: Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Lyrita.

  • Kristina Arakelyan

    To the Stars

    Performer: Grace Francis.
    • Platoon.

  • Albert Roussel

    Le Festin de l'Araignée [The Spider's Feast], Op 17, L 19 (1st mvt)

    Conductor: Stéphane Denève. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
    • Naxos.

  • Luis Abraham Delgadillo

    Concierto No 1 para guitarra y orquesta (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Fernando Mariña. Conductor: Leo Brouwer. Orchestra: Orquesta Filarmónica de Costa Rica.
    • Ediciones Pentagrama.

  • Imogen Holst

    A Hymne to Christ

    Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: David Hill.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Herzlich tut mich verlangen [I do desire dearly], BWV 727

    Music Arranger: Andrew Davis. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Chandos.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No 30 in E major, Op 109 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Víkingur Ólafsson.
    • DG.

  • Claude Debussy

    Images, L 22 (No 2, Iberia: 2nd mvt, 'Les parfums de la nuit')

    Conductor: JoAnn Falletta. Orchestra: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Naxos.

  • Alexis Ffrench

    Last trip around the sun

    Performer: Alexis Ffrench.
    • Sony.

  • Amy Beach

    Symphony in E minor, Op 32, 'Gaelic Symphony' (2nd mvt)

    Conductor: Kenneth Schermerhorn. Orchestra: Nashville Symphony Orchestra.
    • Naxos.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op 114 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Jean-Marc Fessard. Performer: Diana Ligeti. Performer: Jennifer Fichet.
    • Theatre european.

  • Trad.

    Scarborough Fair

    Music Arranger: Christopher Gabbitas. Ensemble: The King’s Singers.
    • Signum.

  • Edward Elgar

    The Wand of Youth, Suite No 1 Op 1a (2nd mvt, Serenade)

    Conductor: Mark Elder. Orchestra: Hallé.
    • Halle.

  • Volkmar Andreae

    Concertino for Oboe and Orchestra, Op 42 (2nd mvt, Serenade)

    Performer: John Anderson. Conductor: Marc Andreae. Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
    • Guild.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Sonata No 1 for solo violin in G minor, BWV 1001 (3rd mvt, Siciliana)

    Performer: Hilary Hahn.
    • Decca.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Symphony No 7, Op 131 (3rd mvt)

    Conductor: Vasily Petrenko. Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic.
    • LAWO.

  • Joachim Nicolas Eggert

    Symphony No 1 in C major (2nd mvt)

    Conductor: Gérard Korsten. Orchestra: Gävle symfoniorkester.
    • Naxos.

  • Thomas Tomkins

    When David Heard

    Choir: Choir of Clare College, Cambridge. Conductor: Timothy Brown.
    • Heritage.

Broadcasts

  • Fri 5 Dec 202509:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Last Sunday09:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind