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Your perfect classical playlist

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.

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27 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Thursday09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Johannes Brahms

    Hungarian Dance no.4 in F sharp minor

    Orchestrator: Paul Juon. Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.
    • Brahms: Hungarian Dances &Dvorak: Slavonic Dances: Haitink.
    • Philips.
    • 5.

  • Gabriel Fauré

    Requiem, Op. 48: Pie Jesu

    Singer: Jean-Gabriel Saint Martin. Singer: Isaure Brunner. Orchestra: Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal. Choir: Chœur de l’Opéra Royal. Conductor: Victor Jacob.
    • Château de Versailles Spectacles.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96: I - Allegro ma non troppo

    Ensemble: Pacifica Quartet.
    • American Voices.
    • Cedille Records.
    • 101.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Hier, in meines Vaters Stätte (Cantata No 32)

    Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
    • J.S. Bach, Cantatas Vol 18: Gardiner.
    • Soli Deo Gloria.
    • 17.

  • Leonard Bernstein

    Mambo (West Side Story)

    Conductor: Leonard Bernstein. Orchestra: Leonard Bernstein Orchestra.
    • Bernstein: West Side Story: Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Bernstein.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 6.

  • Andrzej Karałow

    Galilean Moons - Europa

    Ensemble: Morpheus Saxophone Quartet.
    • Requiem Records.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Lemminkäinen, Op. 22: II. The Swan of Tuonela. Andante molto sostenuto

    Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Susanna Mälkki.
    • Sibelius: Karelia Suite, Rakastava & Lemminkäinen.
    • BIS.
    • 108.

  • Florence Price

    Piano Quintet in E Minor: III. Allegretto

    Performer: Michelle Cann. Ensemble: Catalyst Quartet.
    • Uncovered, Vol. 2: Florence B. Price.
    • Azica Records.
    • 22.

  • Valentin Silvestrov

    Abendserenade

    Performer: Anastasia Kobekina.
    • Abendserenade.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 1.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Festive Overture

    Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • DG.

  • Arcangelo Corelli

    Violin Sonata in D Minor, Op. 5 No. 7

    Performer: Rachel Barton Pine. Performer: John Mark Rozendaal. Performer: Brandon Acker. Performer: David Schrader.
    • Cedille.

  • Joanna Marsh

    In Winter's House

    Ensemble: The Gesualdo Six. Conductor: Owain Park.
    • Morning Star: Music for Epiphany Down the Ages.
    • Hyperion.
    • 6.

  • Reynaldo Hahn

    Piano Quintet in F sharp minor (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective.
    • Hahn: Piano Quintet, Songs, Piano Quartet.
    • Chandos.
    • 105.

  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22: III. Presto

    Performer: Bertrand Chamayou. Orchestra: Orchestre national de France. Conductor: Emmanuel Krivine.
    • Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos Nos 2, 5 & Piano Works.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 3.

  • Luigi Denza

    Finiculi, Finiculá

    Lyricist: Giuseppe Turco. Music Arranger: Giancarlo Chiaramello. Singer: Luciano Pavarotti. Choir: Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna. Orchestra: Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna. Conductor: Anton Guadagno.
    • The Essential PAVAROTTI.
    • Decca.
    • 16.

  • Ludovico Einaudi

    Full Moon

    Performer: Miloš Karadaglić.
    • The Moon & The Forest.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 8.

  • Michael Tippett

    Songs for Ariel: No. 2, Full Fathom Five

    Performer: Sir Antonio Pappano. Singer: Ian Bostridge.
    • Antonio Pappano & Friends.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 68.

  • Aram Khachaturian

    Gayaneh: Gayaneh's Adagio

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Aram Khachaturian.
    • Khachaturian: Symphony No. 2; Gayaneh Suite.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..

  • Georges Bizet

    Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre (Carmen)

    Singer: Bryn Terfel. Choir: Choir of Radio France. Choir: Maîtrise de Radio France. Singer: Eva Mei. Singer: Thierry Félix. Singer: Magali Léger. Singer: Delphine Haidan. Singer: Olivier Lallouette. Singer: Andrea Bocelli. Singer: Alain Gabriel. Singer: Marina Domashenko. Orchestra: Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France. Conductor: Myung-Whun Chung.
    • Bizet, Carmen - Duets and Arias: Bocelli/Domashenko/Mei/Terfel.
    • Decca.
    • 7.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60: III. Allegro vivace

    Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.
    • Beethoven: The Symphonies.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Rebecca Clarke

    Piano Trio: III. Allegro vigoroso

    Ensemble: Neave Trio.
    • Her Voice - Piano Trios by Beach, Clarke & Farrenc.
    • Chandos.
    • 110.

  • Philip Glass

    Glassworks III: Islands

    Conductor: Michael Riesman. Ensemble: Philip Glass Ensemble.
    • Glassworks.
    • Sony.
    • 3.

  • Robert Schumann

    Piano Concerto in A minor Op. 54 iii) Allegro vivace

    Performer: Alfred Brendel. Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Decca.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No. 39 in G Minor, Hob. I:39 "Tempesta di mare": I. Allegro assai

    Orchestra: Il Giardino Armonico. Conductor: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Haydn 2032, Vol. 1: La Passione.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 1.

  • Richard Strauss

    Symphonic Fantasy on Die Frau ohne Schatten, TrV 234a

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Zubin Mehta.
    • Strauss: Orchestral Music.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 8.

  • Diego José de Salazar

    Salga el torillo hosquillo

    Choir: Ex Cathedra Consort. Director: Jeffrey Skidmore.
    • Fire Burning in Snow: Ex Cathedra Consort/Baroque Ensemble/Skidmore.
    • Hyperion.
    • 11.

  • Manuel de Falla

    Danses espagnoles 'La vida breve'

    Performer: Katia Labèque. Performer: Marielle Labèque. Music Arranger: Gustave Samazeuilh.
    • Piano Fantasy/Music for two pianos: Katia and Marielle Labeque.
    • Philips.
    • 1-2.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    String Quartet no. 2 in A minor Op.13 : III - Intermezzo (Allegretto con moto - Allegro di molto)

    Ensemble: Danish String Quartet.
    • Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 13: III. Intermezzo. Allegrett.
    • ECM New Series.
    • 1.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in F major for oboe and violin, RV 543

    Performer: Adrian Chandler. Performer: Gail Hennessy. Ensemble: La Serenissima.
    • Vivaldi: The French Connection 2.
    • Avie.
    • 4.

  • Charles‐Marie Widor

    Toccata (Organ Symphony No 5 in F minor)

    Performer: Marie‐Claire Alain.
    • Great Toccatas: Marie-Claire Alain.
    • Erato.
    • 2.

Broadcast

  • Thursday09:30
    BBC Radio 3