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Your perfect classical playlist

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 a masterpiece.

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27 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Tuesday 09:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Danse macabre, Op 40

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Alexander Gibson.
    • 125 years of the Royal National Scottish Orchestra.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 7.

  • Henry Purcell

    Fantazia no.5 in B flat major Z.736

    Ensemble: Fretwork.
    • Henry Purcell The Complete Fantazias Fretwork.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 5.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    Capriccio sinfonico

    Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Puccini: Orchestral Music.
    • Chandos Records Ltd.
    • 2.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Concerto no. 21 in C major K.467 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida. Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Jeffrey Tate.
    • Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol.1: Uchida/English Chamber Orchestra/Tate.
    • Philips.
    • 5.

  • Clément Janequin

    Le chant des oiseaux

    Performer: Ensemble Clément Janequin.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Slavonic Dance in F major, Op 46 No 4

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Antal Doráti.
    • Dvorak: Slavonic Dances etc.: RPO/Detroit SO/Dorati.
    • Decca.
    • 4.

  • Rita Strohl

    Titus et Bérénice (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Edgar Moreau. Performer: David Kadouch.
    • Franck, Poulenc & Strohl: Cello Sonatas.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 2.

  • Franz Schubert

    Symphony no.5 in B flat major D.485 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: B’Rock Orchestra. Conductor: René Jacobs.
    • Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 201.

  • David Davies

    Messe Basse: Gloria

    Performer: Charles Maxtone-Smith. Choir: Buckfast Abbey Choir. Conductor: Matthew Searles.
    • Ad Fontes.

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Nabucco (Overture)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Claudio Abbado: Verdi Overtures.
    • RCA.
    • 1.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto for 3 Violins in F Major RV.551

    Performer: Anne‐Sophie Mutter. Performer: Elias David Moncado. Performer: Mohamed Hiber. Ensemble: Mutter’s Virtuosi.
    • Bach, Bologne, Previn, Vivaldi, Williams.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 1.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Polonaise in A flat major Op.53 'Eroica'

    Performer: Martha Argerich.
    • Chopin: 26 Preludes Scherzo NR. 2 - Martha Argerich.
    • Deutsche Grammaphon.
    • 28.

  • Grace Williams

    Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes

    Orchestra: Royal Ballet Sinfonia. Conductor: Andrew Penny.
    • Welsh Classical Favourites: Royal Ballet Sinfonia/Penny.
    • Marco Polo.
    • 1.

  • Thomas Vautor

    Sweet Suffolk Owl

    Ensemble: Gesualdo Consort. Conductor: Gerald Place.
    • Vautor: Sing on Sister - Songs of Divers Airs and Natures.
    • Meridian Records.
    • 11.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Oiseaux tristes (Miroirs)

    Performer: Pierre‐Laurent Aimard.
    • Ravel, The Piano Concertos: Aimard/Cleveland Orchestra/Boulez.
    • Deutsche Grammaphon.
    • 6.

  • Johann Strauss II

    Cuckoo Polka, Op.336

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Georges Prêtre.
    • New Year's Concert 2010.
    • Decca.
    • 3.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No 104 in D major "London" (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Australian Chamber Orchestra. Director: Richard Tognetti.
    • Haydn – Mozart.
    • Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC).
    • 12.

  • Cécile Chaminade

    Les Sylvains Op.60

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Hyperion.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Introduction; Sarabande of the Sons of God (Job - A Masque for Dancing)

    Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North. Conductor: David Lloyd‐Jones.
    • Naxos.

  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    The Nutcracker (Suite) Op. 71a: VIII. Waltz of the Flowers

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Santtu‐Matias Rouvali.
    • Santtu Conducts The Nutcracker Suite.
    • Philharmonia Records Ltd.
    • 108.

  • Augusta Holmès

    Roland Furieux

    Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Valentina Peleggi.

  • Morten Lauridsen

    O Magnum mysterium

    Choir: Nordic Chamber Choir. Conductor: Nicol Matt.
    • Lauridsen - O Magnum Mysterium.
    • Bayer Records.
    • 17.

  • Joaquín Turina

    La procesion del Rocio

    Orchestra: Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León. Conductor: Max Bragado-Darman.
    • Turina: Sinfonia Sevillana.
    • Naxos.

  • Leoš Janáček

    A Leaf Blown Away (On an Overgrown Path, Book 1)

    Performer: Mikhail Rudy.
    • Janacek: Instrumental and Orchestra works: Rudy/Amoyal/Mackerras.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 9.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Music for the Royal Fireworks (Overture)

    Orchestra: Le Concert Spirituel. Director: Hervé Niquet.
    • Handel: Water Music & Fireworks: Concert Spirituel, Niquet.
    • Glossa.
    • 19.

Broadcast

  • Tuesday 09:30
    BBC Radio 3