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The very best of classical music

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 essentialclassics@bbc.co.uk.

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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28 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Tuesday09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Fritz Kreisler

    Schön Rosmarin - Old Viennese Dance no.3

    Orchestrator: Clark McAlister. Performer: Gil Shaham. Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Naoko Tanaka.
    • Romances: Gil Shaham/Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 2.

  • Giovanni Gabrieli

    Jubilate Deo

    Ensemble: Pygmalion. Conductor: Raphaël Pichon.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Rita Strohl

    Septet in C minor: 3rd mvt; Romance. Très lent et très mystérieux

    Performer: Shuichi Okada. Performer: Alexandre Pascal. Performer: Léa Hennino. Performer: Claudine Legras. Performer: Héloïse Luzzati. Performer: Lorraine Campet. Performer: Célia Oneto Bensaid.
    • Rita Strohl: Volume 2, Musique de chambre.
    • La Boîte à Pépites.
    • 107.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    String Symphony no.2 in D major

    Orchestra: Amsterdam Sinfonietta. Conductor: Lev Markiz.
    • BIS.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Prelude in C major BWV.846 (The Well-Tempered Clavier - Bk.1)

    Performer: Angela Hewitt.
    • Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier: Angela Hewitt.
    • Hyperion.
    • 1.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    The Shrovetide Fair (Petrushka)

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.
    • Stravinsky: Petrouchka, Scenes de Ballet, Berliner Phil, Haitink.
    • Philips.
    • 1.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    String Quartet No.12 in F major, Op.96 "American" (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Skampa Quartet.
    • American String Quartet & Quintet Op. 96-97.
    • Champs Hill.
    • 2.

  • Louis Vierne

    Carillon de Westminster (Pieces de fantaisie - suite no. 3 Op.54)

    Performer: Wayne Marshall.
    • The Virtuoso Organist.
    • EMI Records Ltd.
    • 11.

  • Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

    Cello Concerto No 2 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Truls Mørk. Orchestra: Les Violons du Roy. Conductor: Bernard Labadie.
    • CPE Bach: Cello Concertos: Truls Mork.
    • Virgin Classics.
    • 6.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    O mio babbino caro (Gianni Schicchi)

    Singer: Renée Fleming. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Decca.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Elégie (5 Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3: No. 1)

    Performer: Boris Giltburg.
    • Rachmaninoff: Piano Works.
    • Naxos.
    • 101.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony no.86 in D major (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Orchestre de chambre de Paris. Conductor: Douglas Boyd.
    • Haydn: Complete Paris Symphonies Nos. 82-87.
    • NoMadMusic.
    • 108.

  • Toru Takemitsu

    Waltz (Face of Another)

    Orchestra: London Sinfonietta. Conductor: John Adams.
    • NONESUCH.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    The Lark Ascending

    Performer: Tasmin Little. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis.
    • Vaughan Williams: The Symphonies: BBCSO/Sir Andrew Davis.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 6.

  • John Taverner

    Dum transisset Sabbatum I for 5 voices

    Choir: Alamire. Conductor: David Skinner.
    • OBSIDIAN.

  • Professor Longhair

    Mardi Gras in New Orleans

    • Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
    • Black Sheep Music.
    • 1.

  • Léo Delibes

    Coppelia: Act I No.2 'Waltz of Swannhilde'

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.
    • DG.

  • Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting & Nancy Kerr

    Lads of Alnwick

    • Murmurs.
    • Topic Records.
    • 10.

  • Ferdinand Hérold

    Clog Dance; Dance of the Cock and Hens (La Fille Mal Gardée)

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.
    • EMI.

  • Malcolm Arnold

    Four Cornish Dances for orchestra (No 1)

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Malcolm Arnold.
    • Malcolm Arnold: English, Irish, Scottish & Cornish Dances: LPO/Arnold.
    • Lyrita.
    • 19.

  • Costanzo Porta

    Sinfonia in D major

    Performer: Simon Munday. Performer: Adrian Chandler. Ensemble: La Serenissima. Director: Adrian Chandler.
    • AVIE.

  • WIlfred Heaton

    Le Tricot Rouge

    Performer: Black Dyke Band. Conductor: Nicholas Childs.
    • World of Brass.

  • Alexandre Desplat

    Frankenstein (music from the film): Main theme

    Performer: Eldbjorg Hemsing. Performer: Alexandre Desplat.
    • Frankenstein.
    • Mutant.
    • 1.

  • Alexandre Desplat

    Frankenstein (music from the film): Victor & Elizabeth

    Performer: Alexandre Desplat.
    • Frankenstein.
    • Mutant.
    • 12.

  • Alexandre Desplat

    Frankenstein (music from the film): Laying to Rest

    Performer: Alexandre Desplat. Performer: Alexandre Desplat. Performer: Eldbjørg Hemsing.
    • Frankenstein.
    • Mutant.
    • 33.

  • Louise Farrenc

    Overture in E flat major, Op 24

    Orchestra: NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Johannes Goritzki.
    • CPO.

  • Darius Milhaud

    Brazileira (Scaramouche)

    Performer: Jess Gillam. Performer: Andee Birkett. Performer: Zeynep Özsuca. Ensemble: Tippett Quartet.
    • Decca Classics.

  • Aram Khachaturian

    Masquerade Suite [complete]

    Conductor: Neeme Järvi. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
    • Chandos Records Limited.

  • 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.

  • Ren Guang

    Coloured Clouds Chasing The Moon

    Music Arranger: Jianzhong Wang. Performer: Lang Lang.
    • Dragon Songs.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 15.

  • Franz von Suppé

    Light Cavalry (Overture)

    Orchestra: Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Paul Paray.
    • Mercury.

  • Benjamin Britten

    Missa brevis

    Performer: Iain Farrington. Choir: Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge. Singer: Benedict Giles. Singer: William Goldring. Singer: Edward Minton. Conductor: Christopher Robinson.
    • Britten: Rejoice The Lamb, Hymn to St. Cecilia: Choir of St John's College, Camb.
    • Naxos.
    • 14.

  • Modest Mussorgsky

    Pictures from an exhibition (Ballet des poussins dans leurs coques)

    Orchestrator: Maurice Ravel. Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Mussorgsky / Borodin: Berliner Philharmoniker / Rattle.
    • EMI.
    • 9.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Violin Concerto in E major, RV 269, 'Spring'

    Performer: Fabio Biondi. Ensemble: Europa Galante.
    • Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Europa Galante, Fabio Biondi.
    • Virgin Classics.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Tuesday09:30
    BBC Radio 3