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Celebrating classical greats

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'.

24 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • Karl Jenkins

    Palladio (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Karl Jenkins.
    • Karl Jenkins: Quirk, Sarikiz & Over the Stone.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 114.
  • David Juritz & Diana Ambache

    Sonatine in A minor (3rd mvt)

    • Liberté, Egalité, Sororité: 100 Years of Chamber Music by French Women.
    • Ambache.
    • 011.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No 39 in E flat major, K 543 (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Staatskapelle Dresden. Conductor: Colin Davis.
    • Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39 & 41: Sir Colin Davis.
    • Philips.
    • 1.
  • John Williams

    First Light

    Performer: John Williams.
    • From a Bird.
    • John Williams.
    • 13.
  • Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni

    Adagio in G minor

    Music Arranger: Remo Giazotto. Orchestra: Richard Hickox Orchestra. Performer: Alastair Ross. Performer: Simon Standage. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Weekend Classics: Baroque Weekend: Pachelbel/Albinoni/Handel/Vivaldi.
    • Decca.
    • 2.
  • Trad.

    Dashing away with the smoothing iron

    Music Arranger: John Rutter. Choir: The Cambridge Singers. Conductor: John Rutter.
    • Collegium.
  • Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet in G major Op.77`1 (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Takács Quartet.
    • Decca.
  • Errollyn Wallen

    Photography (Vivace)

    Orchestra: Orchestra X. Conductor: Nicholas Kok.
    • NMC.
  • Alonso Lobo

    Versa est in luctum

    Choir: Stile Antico.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
  • Christian Sinding

    The Rustle of spring Op.32 no.3

    Orchestra: Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Bjarte Engeset.
    • Norwegian Classical Favourites: Iceland Symphony Orchestra/Engeset.
    • Naxos.
    • 3.
  • Arcangelo Corelli

    Violin Sonata Op. 5 No. 11 in E major

    Performer: Rachel Barton Pine. Performer: David Schrader. Performer: John Mark Rozendaal. Performer: Brandon Acker.
    • Corelli: 12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 5.
    • Cedille.
  • George Enescu

    Légende

    Performer: Tine Thing Helseth. Performer: Kathryn Stott.
    • EMI.
  • Trad.

    Dashing away with the smoothing iron

    Music Arranger: John Rutter. Choir: The Cambridge Singers. Conductor: John Rutter.
    • Collegium.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Rinaldo (Overture)

    Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
    • DECCA.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Nocturne in D flat major, Op 27 No 2

    Performer: Angela Hewitt.
    • Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes and Impromptus: Angela Hewitt, piano.
    • Hyperion.
    • 10.
  • Joan Trimble

    Suite for Strings

    Orchestra: Irish Chamber Orchestra. Director: Fionnuala Hunt.
    • Black Box.
  • Jack Strachey

    In a party mood [Housewives' Choice theme tune]

    Orchestra: West End Celebrity Orchestra. Conductor: Jack Strachey.
    • Jack Strachey 'In Party Mood'.
    • Bosworth.
    • 1.
  • John Lanchbery

    Mrs Tiggy-winkle's Laundry; The Tale of Mr Jeremy Fisher (Tales of Beatrix Potter)

    Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: John Lanchbery.
    • Tales Of Beatrix Potter.
    • EMI.
    • 3, 5, 6.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    March Past of the Kitchen Utensils (The Wasps)

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: James Judd.
    • Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto.
    • Naxos.
    • 3.
  • Michael Flanders and Donald Swann

    The Gas Man Cometh

    • At the Drop of Another Hat.
    • Parlophone UK.
    • 1.
  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Havanaise Op.83

    Performer: Sarah Chang. Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Wolfgang Sawallisch.
    • EMI.
  • John Henry Hopkins, Jr.

    We Three Kings

    Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Brass.
    • Frohe Weihnachten!.
    • Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings.
    • 6.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Piano Concerto no.1 in F sharp minor Op.1 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Simon Trpceski. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vasily Petrenko.
    • Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 1 & 4 - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
    • AVIE Records.
    • 2.
  • Gabriel Fauré

    Agnus Dei (Requiem, Op.48)

    Choir: The Sixteen. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Mozart: Vespers and Faure: Requiem.
    • Coro.
    • 12.
  • Andrew Carter

    Aria for Organ

    Performer: Jeffrey Wynn Davies.
    • Carter: Choral Works.
    • Guild GmbH.
    • 13.
  • Aram Khachaturian

    Spartacus Ballet Suite No. 2

    Conductor: Neeme Järvi. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
    • Khachaturian: Spartacus Suites.
    • Chandos.
    • 104.
  • Amy Woodforde-Finden

    Kashmiri Song (4 Indian Love Lyrics)

    Singer: Anthony Rolfe Johnson. Performer: Graham Johnson.
    • In Praise of Woman.
    • HELIOS.
    • 017.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Badinérie (Orchestral Suite no.2, BWV.1067)

    Performer: Barthold Kuijken. Ensemble: La Petite Bande. Conductor: Sigiswald Kuijken.
    • Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    Piano Trio No.4 in E Minor, Op.90 "Dumky" (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Trio Wanderer.
    • Dvořák: Piano Trios, Op. 65 & 90.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 102.
  • Alexander Borodin

    Petite Suite: Vi. Finale. Scherzo-nocturne-scherzo

    Conductor: Geoffrey Simon. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra.
    • Borodin: Requiem, Polovtsian Dances and Suite from Prince Igor.
    • Signum Classics.
  • Franz Liszt

    Concert Study no.3 in D flat major 'Un sospiro'

    Performer: Lang Lang.
    • Sony Classical: 88697891402.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 7.
  • Franz Schubert

    Gefrorne Tränen, D 911 No 3 (Winterreise)

    Performer: Paul Lewis. Singer: Mark Padmore.
    • Schubert Winterreise: Mark Padmore - Paul Lewis.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 3.
  • John Williams

    Superman (Main theme)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.
    • Rhino.

Broadcast

  • Tuesday09:30