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Light up the winter darkness with relaxing classical music

Niall Breslin brings you a calming selection of seasonal music designed to light up the winter darkness.

Three hours of calming classical music designed to light up the winter darkness and 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 seasonal blend of radiant music from the likes of Holst, Max Richter, Monteverdi, Meredi and Carlos Simon. Plus, a chance to Press Pause, and some Wind Down Wisdom from science podcaster Caroline Steel, all about the relaxation benefits of lighting scented candles.

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

9 days left to listen

3 hours

Last on

Mon 22 Dec 202517:00
BBC Radio 3 Unwind

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Ease the cares of your day with a soothing classical mix

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Happy Christmas Harmonies

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Music Played

  • Eric Coates

    Under the Stars

    Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Eric Coates: Orchestral Works Vol. 4.
    • Chandos.
    • 601.

  • Ēriks Ešenvalds

    Stars

    Choir: Sjaella.
    • Origins.
    • Fuga Libera.
    • 14.

  • Carlos Simon

    Light Everlasting

    Performer: Carlos Simon.
    • Requiem for the Enslaved.
    • Decca.
    • 18.

  • William Lloyd Webber

    The Moon

    Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Julian Lloyd Webber.
    • And the Bridge Is Love: English Music for Strings.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.

  • Keane Wang

    Firefly Dance

    Performer: Keane Wang.
    • Keane Wang.

  • Claudio Monteverdi

    Ave maris stella (Vespers)

    Ensemble: Pygmalion. Conductor: Raphaël Pichon.
    • Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 4.

  • Claude Debussy

    Cllair de lune (Suite Bergamasque)

    Performer: Alice Sara Ott.
    • Nightfall.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Julie Cooper

    MOONGLADE in Jet Black

    Performer: Joby Burgess. Performer: Camilla Pay. Performer: Julie Cooper. Ensemble: Her Ensemble. Ensemble: Oculus Ensemble. Conductor: Jessica Cottis.
    • Julie Cooper: Oculus.
    • Signum Records.
    • 1.

  • Trad.

    Moon is Bright - lullaby (Northeastern Cradle Song)

    Performer: Lang Lang. Music Arranger: Zhao Zhang.
    • Year of the Dragon - Songs from China.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 4.

  • Caerwen Martin

    Stars Come Out in a Midnight Sky

    Ensemble: ACO Collective.
    • Women of Note Volume 3.
    • Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC).
    • 9.

  • Dario Marianelli

    Dawn (from Pride and Prejudice soundtrack)

    Performer: Jeneba Kanneh‐Mason.
    • Dawn (From "Pride & Prejudice" Soundtrack).
    • Sony Classical.
    • 1.

  • Max Richter

    On the Nature of Daylight

    Performer: Louisa Fuller. Performer: John Metcalf. Performer: Philip Sheppard. Performer: Chris Worsey.
    • Voyager - Essential Max Richter.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 1.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Quartet in B flat major, Op 76 No 4. 'Sunrise' (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Van Kuijk Quartet.

  • Ola Gjeilo

    Northern Lights

    Choir: Apollo5.
    • Gjeilo: Northern Lights.
    • VOCES8 Records.
    • 1.

  • Erland Cooper

    Haar over Hamnavoe

    Composer: Bill Ryder-Jones. Performer: Erland Cooper. Performer: Bill Ryder-Jones.
    • Holm (Variations & B-sides).
    • Believe International.
    • 7.

  • Kalevi Aho

    Theremin Concerto "Eight Seasons" (Midnight Sun)

    Performer: Carolina Eyck. Orchestra: Lapin kamariorkesteri. Conductor: John Storgårds.
    • Kalevi Aho - Theremin Concerto, Horn Concerto.
    • Bis.
    • 013.

  • Regina Harris Baiocchi

    A Candle Burns Time (Piano Poems, No 4)

    Performer: Sarah Cahill.
    • The Future is Female, Vol. 3, 'At Play'.
    • First Hand Records.
    • 4.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Winter evening (Winter bonfire, Op 122)

    Orchestra: The New London Orchestra. Conductor: Ronald Corp.
    • Prokofiev: Music for Children: New London Orchestra/Corp.
    • Hyperion.

  • Gustav Holst

    Venus from The Planets, Op 32

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.

  • Erland Cooper

    Birds of Paradise

    Performer: Freya Goldmark. Orchestra: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

  • Alanna Crouch

    Guiding Light

    Performer: Alanna Crouch.
    • Guiding Light.
    • Andante Piano.
    • 1.

  • Alexis Ffrench

    Guiding Light

    Performer: Gerard Cousins.
    • Guiding Light (Arr. for guitar by Gerard Cousins).
    • Prima Classic.
    • 1.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Ave maris stella

    Choir: VOCES8.
    • TWENTY.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 9.

  • Chad Lawson

    Like The Stars In The Sky (Together)

    Performer: Chad Lawson. Performer: Ashley Jackson.
    • Where We Are (Together).
    • Chad Lawson Decca US.
    • 3.

  • Meredi

    I Am Stardust

    Performer: Meredi.
    • Stardust.
    • Modern Recordings.
    • 2.

  • Eric Whitacre

    Lux Aurumque

    Choir: Pembroke College Chapel Choir. Choir: Pembroke College Girls' Choir. Director: Anna Lapwood.
    • SIGNUM CLASSICS.

  • AVAWAVES

    Fractured Light

    • BMG Rights Management (WW) Ltd.

  • Foday Musa Suso

    Tilliboyo [Sunset]

    Performer: Foday Musa Suso. Ensemble: Kronos Quartet.
    • Nonesuch.

  • Yiruma

    Sunset Bird (Piano Septet Version)

    Performer: Yiruma.
    • The Rewritten Memories.
    • Universal Music Ltd..
    • 2.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Song to the moon (Rusalka)

    Music Arranger: Pablo Ferrández. Performer: Pablo Ferrández. Orchestra: Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Frost.
    • Rusalka, Op. 114, Act I: Song to the Moon.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 1.

  • Lloyd Coleman

    Luminescence

    Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Ben Palmer.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Morning (Peer Gynt - suite No 1, Op 46)

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Tugan Sokhiev.
    • Sommernachtskonzert 2025 / Summer Night Concert 2025.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 7.

  • Jade Ashtangini

    Song of Morning Light

    Performer: Jade Ashtangini.

  • Nala Sinephro

    Dawn

    Performer: Nala Sinephro.
    • The Smashing Machine.
    • Warp Records.
    • 1.

  • Emily Lim

    The Sun, Unafraid to Shine

    Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Daniel Parkinson.

  • John Rutter

    Candlelight (5 Meditations for orchestra, No 3)

    Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia. Conductor: Daniel Hyde.
    • John Rutter: Five Meditations for Orchestra, III. Candlelight.
    • King’s College, Cambridge.
    • 1.

  • Jonathan Dove

    The narrow bud opens her beauties to the sun (The Passing of the Year)

    Performer: Alexandra Standing. Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Benjamin Goodson.

  • VLMV

    First Light, Early Morning, With Birdsong

    • First Light, Early Morning, With Birdsong.
    • State Of Mind Records.
    • 1.

  • Phil Cunningham

    The Gentle Light that Wakes Me

    Performer: Nicola Benedetti. Performer: Aly Bain. Performer: Phil Cunningham.
    • Homecoming: A Scottish Fantasy.
    • Decca.
    • 12.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 7 Dec 202517:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Fri 19 Dec 202517:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Mon 22 Dec 202517:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind