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A classical soundtrack for your morning

Georgia Mann plays the best in classical music, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.

Georgia Mann 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

Mon 8 Dec 202509:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony No 8 in G major, Op 88 (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: José Serebrier.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Cecilia McDowall

    Alma redemptoris Mater

    Ensemble: The Marian Consort. Director: Rory McCleery.
    • Music For The Queen Of Heaven.
    • DELPHIAN.
    • 5.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Orchestral Suite No 1 in C major, BWV 1066 (Overture)

    Orchestra: Le Concert des Nations. Director: Jordi Savall.
    • J.S.Bach: Les Quatre Ouvertures: Le Concert Des Nations, Jordi Savall.
    • Alia Vox.
    • 6.

  • George Butterworth

    The Banks of Green Willow

    Orchestra: Hallé. Conductor: Mark Elder.
    • Butterworth/Delius: English Rhapsody: Halle, Elder.
    • Halle.
    • 4.

  • Traditional Spanish

    Riu, riu chiu

    Conductor: Harry Christophers. Choir: The Sixteen.
    • Christmas Music from Medieval and Renaissance Europe.
    • Hyperion.
    • 14.

  • Joby Talbot

    Transit of Venus

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Christopher Austin.
    • Wayne McGregor: Collaboration.
    • Mercury Classics.
    • 12.

  • Johan Svendsen

    Carnival in Paris Op.9

    Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Svendsen: Orchestral works vol.1: Thorsen/BPO/Jarvi.
    • Chandos.
    • 1.

  • Franz Lehár

    Sirens of the Ball - waltz (The Merry Widow)

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Nick Davies.
    • Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performs the Greatest Classics.
    • EMI Gold.
    • 2.

  • Trad.

    Deck the Halls

    Music Arranger: Karl Mitze. Ensemble: Miró Quartet.
    • Hearth.
    • Pentatone.
    • 105.

  • Alice Mary Smith

    Andante

    Performer: Angela Malsbury. Orchestra: London Mozart Players. Conductor: Howard Shelley.
    • Alice Mary Smith: Symphonies: Malsbury, LMP, Shelley.
    • Chandos.
    • 5.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Symphony in D minor, 'Youth'

    Orchestra: Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy.
    • DECCA.

  • John Ireland

    The Holy Boy

    Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North. Conductor: David Lloyd‐Jones.
    • English String Miniatures, Vol. 2.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Clarinet Quintet in A major, K 581 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Martin Frost. Ensemble: Vertavo Quartet.
    • Mozart: Clarinet Concerto & Clarinet Quintet.
    • BIS.
    • 4.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    The Nightingale (The Birds - suite)

    Orchestra: Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège. Conductor: John Neschling.
    • Respighi: The Birds & Ancient Dances and Airs.
    • BIS.
    • 104.

  • Trad.

    El Noi de la Mare

    Music Arranger: Tim Bayley. Singer: Deborah Catterall. Ensemble: York Waits.
    • Yule Riding.
    • BEAUTIFUL JO.
    • 18.

  • Trad.

    The Song of the Birds

    Music Arranger: Pau Casals. Performer: Sol Gabetta. Ensemble: Amsterdam Sinfonietta.
    • SONY.

  • Elfrida Andrée

    Frithjof's Sea Voyage (Frithjof Suite, No 5)

    Orchestra: Norrköpings Symfoniorkester. Conductor: Hermann Bäumer.
    • Elfrida Andrée: Symphony No. 1 · Fritiof-Svit.
    • CPO.
    • 105.

  • César Franck

    Violin Sonata in A major M.8 (4th mvt)

    Performer: Renaud Capuçon. Performer: Martha Argerich.
    • Beethoven, Schumann, Franck.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 7.

  • Valentin Silvestrov

    2 Christmas Lullabies: No. 2, Quiet Night

    Singer: Ieva Ezeriete. Choir: Latvian Radio Choir. Conductor: Sigvards Kļava.
    • Silvestrov: To Thee We Sing.
    • Ondine.
    • 15.

  • Arcangelo Corelli

    Sonata in F major, Op 2 No 7

    Ensemble: Purcell Quartet.
    • Chandos.

  • Richard Wagner

    Siegfried Idyll

    Orchestra: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Christian Thielemann.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Ester Mägi

    Bukoolika

    Orchestra: Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Arvo Volmer.
    • Magi: Orchestral Music.
    • Toccata Classics.
    • 5.

  • Franz Schubert

    Impromptu in E flat major D.899 no.2

    Performer: Elisabeth Leonskaja.
    • Schubert: Impromptus: Elisabeth Leonskaja.
    • Teldec.
    • 3.

  • Malcolm Arnold

    Fantasy on Christmas Carols (from the film "The Holly and the Ivy")

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • Arnold: Film Music, Volume 2: Dyson, BBC Phil, Gamba.
    • Chandos.
    • 23.

  • Giovanni Gabrieli

    Sonata XXI

    Performer: Bojan Čičić. Performer: Stephen Pedder. Performer: Julia Kuhn. Performer: William Carter. Performer: Richard Egarr.
    • WIGMORE HALL LIVE.

  • Aaron Copland

    Buckaroo Holiday (Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo)

    Orchestra: New York Philharmonic. Conductor: Leonard Bernstein.
    • Copland: Appalachian Spring: New York Philharmonic/Bernstein.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 9.

Broadcast

  • Mon 8 Dec 202509:30
    BBC Radio 3