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Great classical music for your morning

Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.

Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.

1000 Playlist starter – listen and send us your ideas for the next step in our musical journey today.

1030 Essential Carol - introduced by a special guest

1115 Playlist reveal – a sequence of music suggested by you in response to our starter today.

1145 Slow Moment – time to take a break for a moment's musical reflection.

1230 Album of the Week

To listen on most smart speakers say "Ask ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Sounds to play Essential Classics”

26 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Tuesday 09:30

Music Played

  • Hugo AlfvΓ©n

    Shepherd girl's dance, from The Mountain King

    Orchestra: Stockholm Sinfonietta. Conductor: Jan‐Olav Wedin.
    • A Swedish Pastorale.
    • BIS.
    • 015.
  • John Tavener

    Song for Athene

    Choir: Choir of Temple Church. Choir: Holst Singers. Performer: Ian le Grice. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • DECCA.
  • Peggy Glanville-Hicks

    Etruscan Concerto (I. Promenade)

    Performer: Keith Jarrett. Conductor: Dennis Russell Davies. Orchestra: Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
    • MusicMasters Classics.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Christmas Oratorio, Part 2 (Sinfonia)

    Ensemble: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin. Conductor: Peter Dijkstra.
    • Bach: Soli Deo Gloria.
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 209.
  • AntonΓ­n DvoΕ™Γ‘k

    Carnival Overture

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Semyon Bychkov.
    • PENTATONE.
  • Rachel Portman

    Sewing and Archery (Emma)

    Conductor: Rachel Portman.
    • Emma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Hollywood Records.
    • 3.
  • Juan GarcΓ­a de ZΓ©spedes

    Convidando estΓ‘ la noche

    Ensemble: Ex Cathedra Choir. Conductor: Jeffrey Skidmore.
    • New World Symphonies - Baroque Music from L:atin America: Ex Cathedra, Jeffrey S.
    • Hyperion.
  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

    Hymn to Nature (The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh)

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme JΓ€rvi.
    • Chandos.
  • William Mathias

    A Babe in born all of a May

    Performer: Thomas Trotter. Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Conductor: Philip Ledger.
    • Merry Christmas with the Choir of King's College.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 18.
  • Teresa CarreΓ±o

    Le sommeil de l'enfant

    Performer: Alexandra Oehler.
    • Teresa Carreno: Klavierwerke (Piano works).
    • ARS MUSICI.
    • 10.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Horn Concerto No 4 in E flat, K 495 (3rd mvmt, Rondo)

    Performer: Alessio Allegrini. Orchestra: Orchestra Mozart. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Mozart: Horn Concertos: Allegrini/Orchestra Mozart/Claudio Abbado.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 9.
  • Morten Lauridsen

    O Magnum Mysterium

    Choir: Polyphony. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • Hyperion.
  • Edvard Grieg

    4 Symphonic Dances, Op 64 (No 1)

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.
    • Grieg: Peer Gynt: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Orama.
    • Erato.
    • 10.
  • Rachel Portman

    Sewing and Archery (Emma)

    Conductor: Rachel Portman.
    • Emma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Hollywood Records.
    • 3.
  • HΓ©lΓ¨ne de Montgeroult

    Violin Sonata in A minor Op.2 no.3 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Sophie Rosa. Performer: Ian Buckle.
    • Montgeroult, Viotti, Weber & Mendelssohn: Violin Sonatas.
    • Rubicon.
    • 6.
  • JosΓ© MaurΓ­cio Nunes Garcia

    Pastoral Mass for Christmas Night (Agnus Dei)

    Ensemble: Ensemble Turicum. Director: Luiz Alves da Silva. Director: Mathias Weibel.
    • K617.
  • Eric Coates

    Knightsbridge (March, from London Every Day Suite)

    Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Philharmonic. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • The Symphonic Eric Coates.
    • Chandos.
    • 9.
  • Arcangelo Corelli

    Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op 6 No 8, 'Christmas Concerto'

    Ensemble: The English Concert. Conductor: Trevor Pinnock.
    • Corelli: Concerti Grossi Op.6.
    • Archiv.
    • 7-12.
  • Rachel Portman

    Sewing and Archery (Emma)

    Conductor: Rachel Portman.
    • Emma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Hollywood Records.
    • 3.
  • Isobel Waller-Bridge

    Emma and Mr Knightley (A kiss before they wed)

    Composer: David Schweitzer. Conductor: Alastair King. Orchestra: The Chamber Orchestra of London.
    • Back Lot Music.
  • Barbara Strozzi

    Amor dormiglione Op.2 no.22

    Singer: Suzie LeBlanc. Ensemble: Ensemble Constantinople.
    • ANALEKTA.
  • Erik Satie

    Sports et divertissements for piano: no.21; Le Tennis

    Performer: Olof HΓΆjer.
    • Satie: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 5.
    • Swedish Society.
    • 51.
  • Richard Wagner

    The Flying Dutchman (Spinning Song)

    Choir: Berlin Opera Chorus. Orchestra: Orchestra of the German Opera, Berlin. Conductor: Rafael FrΓΌhbeck de Burgos.
    • World of Classic.
  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Waltz (Serenade for Strings)

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski.
    • Tchaikovsky: The Complete Symphonies.
    • London Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • 703.
  • Reena Esmail

    A Winter Breviary, No 3: The Unexpected Early Hour

    Ensemble: St Martin's Voices. Conductor: Andrew Earis.
    • A Winter Breviary: Choral Works for Christmas.
    • Resonus Classics.
    • 5.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Overture 'Leonore' no.3 Op.72b

    Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.
    • Beethoven - Symphony No. 3 "Eroica".
    • Warner Classics.
    • 105.
  • VΓ­tezslav NovΓ‘k

    Song of a Christmas Night (Songs of a Winter Night)

    Performer: MariΓ‘n LapΕ‘anskΓ½.
    • SUPRAPHON.
  • Camille Saint‐SaΓ«ns

    Symphony in A major (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de LiΓ¨ge. Conductor: Jean‐Jacques Kantorow.
    • Saint-SaΓ«ns: Symphonies.
    • BIS.
    • 104.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Water Music: Suite in F major, HWV 348 (Air)

    Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas McGegan.
    • Handel: Fire & Water.
    • Classic FM.
    • 12-13.
  • Cecilia McDowall

    A Winter's Night

    Choir: Winchester College Chapel Choir. Ensemble: Onyx Brass. Conductor: Howard Ionascu.
    • A Winter's Night: Christmas Music for Choir, Brass Quintet & Organ.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 201-205.
  • William Grant Still

    The Cake Walk Contest (Miss Sally's Party)

    Orchestra: Orchestra of Plymouth Music Series. Conductor: Philip Brunelle.
    • Witness. Volume II. The Music of William Grant Still.
    • Collins Digital.
    • 16.
  • Max Reger

    MariΓ€ Wiegenlied

    Singer: Benjamin Appl. Orchestra: Munich Radio Orchestra. Conductor: Florian Helgath.
    • The Christmas Album.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 4.
  • FrΓ©dΓ©ric Chopin

    Fantaisie-impromptu in C sharp minor, Op.66

    Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy.
    • Chopin: The Solo Piano Works: Ashkenazy.
    • London.
    • 30.
  • Trad.

    The Angel Gabriel

    Music Arranger: Edgar Pettman. Choir: Winchester Cathedral Choir. Director: Andrew Lumsden.
    • Christmas from Winchester: Winchester Cathedral Choir.
    • Regent.
    • 6.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in D minor RV.566 for 7 instruments and orchestra

    Ensemble: Concerto KΓΆln. Director: Werner Ehrhardt.
    • Italian Concertos: Concerto Koln.
    • Capriccio.
    • 4.
  • Georges Bizet

    Adagietto (L' Arlesienne - suite no.1)

    Orchestra: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • NAIVE.
  • Jeanine Tesori

    The Nutty Cracker Suite (Thoroughly Modern Millie)

    Orchestra: Thoroughly Modern Millie Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Rafter.
    • Thoroughly Modern Millie (Original Broadway Cast Recording).
    • Masterworks Broadway.
    • 9.

Broadcast

  • Tuesday 09:30

Our Classical Century

Our Classical Century

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