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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 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • Charles Gounod

    Meditation on Bach's first prelude, 'Ave Maria'

    Music Arranger: Sir Stephen Hough. Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Hyperion.
  • William Grant Still

    Symphony no.1 'Afro-American' (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Fort Smith Symphony. Conductor: John Jeter.
    • William Grant Still: Afro-American Symphony/In Memoriam/Africa (Symphonic Poem).
    • NAXOS.
    • 5.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Piano Trio in E flat major H.15.22 (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Trio Gaspard.
    • CHANDOS.
  • Leroy Anderson

    Sleigh Ride

    Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Leonard Slatkin.
    • Anderson, L.: Orchestral Music, Vol. 3 - Sleigh Ride / The Typewriter / Plink, P.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.
  • Georges Bizet

    Au fond du temple saint (The Pearl Fishers)

    Singer: Rolando Villazón. Singer: Ildar Abdrazakov. Orchestra: Montreal Metropolitan Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.
    • Duets.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 1.
  • Juan García de Zéspedes

    Convidando está la noche

    Ensemble: The Harp Consort. Director: Andrew Lawrence‐King.
    • Missa Mexicana.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 16.
  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    The Snow Maiden Op.12 (Prologue: Introduction)

    Orchestra: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Alpesh Chauhan.
    • Tchaikovsky Orchestral Works Vol. 2.
    • Chandos.
    • 106.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Introduction and allegro

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.
    • Onyx.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Brandenburg concerto no.4 in G major (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Dunedin Consort. Conductor: John Butt.
    • J.S. Bach: Six Brandenburg Concertos.
    • Linn Records.
    • 11.
  • Trad.

    Sussex Carol [on Christmas night]

    Music Arranger: Ralph Vaughan Williams. Orchestrator: Daniel Hyde. Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia. Conductor: Daniel Hyde.
    • All the Stars Looked Down: A John Rutter Celebration.
    • King’s College, Cambridge.
    • 4.
  • John Rutter

    Dormi, Jesu

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia. Conductor: Daniel Hyde.
    • All the Stars Looked Down: A John Rutter Celebration.
    • King’s College, Cambridge.
    • 13.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony no.34 in C major K.338 (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iván Fischer.
    • HUNGAROTON.
  • Hélène de Montgeroult

    Études Nos 41 and 82

    Performer: Clare Hammond.
    • BIS.
  • George Frideric Handel

    For unto us a child is born (Messiah)

    Choir: Huddersfield Choral Society. Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia. Conductor: Jane Glover.
    • Handel: Messiah.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 212.
  • Frederick Delius

    Winter Landscape (North Country Sketches)

    Orchestra: Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Delius: Brigg Fair etc: Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera/Mackerras.
    • Argo.
    • 5.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Coriolan Overture

    Orchestra: Le Concert des Nations. Conductor: Jordi Savall.
    • ALIA VOX.
  • Cecil Broadhurst

    The Cowboy Carol

    Choir: Royal Choral Society. Conductor: Malcolm Sargent.
    • Christmas Favourites: The Essential Collection (Digitally Remastered).
    • AVID Entertainment.
    • 36.
  • Anon.

    Angelus ad Virginem

    Performer: Andrew Lawrence‐King.
    • Christmas Carols.
    • Erato.
    • 208.
  • John Gardner

    Tomorrow shall be my dancing day

    Choir: The Sixteen. Performer: Ben Hoffnung. Performer: William Lockhart. Performer: Margaret Phillips. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Hodie - An English Christmas Collection.
    • Coro.
    • 25.
  • John Foster

    While shepherds watched their flocks by night

    Choir: Psalmody. Ensemble: The Parley of Instruments. Director: Peter Holman.
    • While Shepherds Watched.
    • Hyperion.
    • 15.
  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    The Sleeping Beauty Suite (The Lilac Fairy)

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.
    • Tchaikovsky: Ballet Suites, Wiener Philharmoniker.
    • Decca.
    • 15.
  • John Tavener

    The Lamb

    Choir: Choir of New College Oxford. Conductor: Edward Higginbottom.
    • Agnus Dei: Choir of New College, Oxford/Higginbottom.
    • Erato.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV.659

    Music Arranger: Ferruccio Busoni. Performer: Víkingur Ólafsson.
    • Solo Piano Works.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 8.
  • Madeleine Dring

    Festival Scherzo

    Performer: Martin Roscoe. Ensemble: Guildhall String Ensemble. Conductor: Robert Salter.
    • HYPERION.
  • Jean Sibelius

    The Swan of Tuonela (Lemminkainen suite Op.22)

    Orchestra: Lahti Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Osmo Vänskä.
    • BIS.
  • John Rutter

    When icicles hang

    Singer: Nicholas Wilson. Choir: The Cambridge Singers. Performer: Duke Dobing. Orchestra: City of London Sinfonia. Conductor: John Rutter.
    • Fancies.
    • Collegium.
  • Franz Schubert

    3 Marches militaires D.733 (no.1 in D major)

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Charles Groves.
    • Sir Charles' Precious Music Box 2: Philharmonia/Groves.
    • Denon.
    • 2.
  • Rachel Portman

    Emma (Main title)

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.
    • Emma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Hollywood Records.
    • 1.
  • Benjamin Britten

    The Birth of Nicolas (Saint Nicolas Op.42)

    Singer: Luke McWatters. Singer: Allan Clayton. Choir: Temple Church Choristers. Choir: The Choir Of Trinity College, Cambridge. Choir: Holst Singers. Orchestra: City of London Sinfonia. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • Britten: A Ceremony of Carols & St Nicolas.
    • Hyperion.
  • Mel Tormé

    Christmas song [Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire]

    Composer: Robert Wells. Performer: Alexis Ffrench.
    • Christmas Piano with Alexis.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 5.
  • Alexander L’Estrange

    Lute-book Lullaby

    Singer: Joanna Forbes L'Estrange. Choir: Tenebrae. Performer: James Sherlock. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • On Eagles' Wings: Sacred Choral Works by Alexander L'Estrange.
    • Signum Records.
    • 12.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    In dulci jubilo BWV.608

    Music Arranger: Andrew Davis. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
    • King of Kings - JS Bach Orchestral Transcriptions.
    • Chandos.
  • Trad.

    The Londonderry Air

    Orchestrator: Sir Hamilton Harty. Orchestra: Ulster Orchestra. Conductor: Bryden Thomson.
    • Harty: The Children of Lir etc. - Holmes/Harper/Ulster Orchestra/Thomson.
    • Chandos.

Broadcast

  • Tue 16 Dec 202509:30