Main content

Celebrating classical greats

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.

To listen on most smart speakers, say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Essential Classics”.

28 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Friday09:30
BBC Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Relax into the day with classical

Next

A feast of great music

See all episodes from Essential Classics

Music Played

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Gloria in D Major, RV 589: I. Gloria in excelsis Deo

    Lyricist: Anon.. Ensemble: Le Concert Spirituel. Conductor: Hervé Niquet.
    • Vivaldi: Gloria & Magnificat (Alpha Collection).
    • Alpha.
    • 1.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No 25 in G minor (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: The English Concert. Conductor: Trevor Pinnock.
    • Mozart: The Symphonies.
    • Archiv Produktion.

  • Aram Khachaturian

    Violin Concerto in D Minor (3rd mvt)

    Performer: David Oistrakh. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Aram Khachaturian.
    • A. Khachaturian: Violin Concerto - Prokofiev, K. Khachaturian & Szymanowski: Vio.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 3.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Ablösung im Sommer (Lieder und Gesänge)

    Performer: Joseph Middleton. Singer: Katharina Konradi.
    • MAHLER...Lieder der Jugend: Songs of Youth and Awakening.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 102.

  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    Swan Lake, Op 20 (Act 1 Waltz)

    Orchestra: State Academic Symphony Orchestra of The Russian Federation. Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski.
    • Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 22, TH 12 (1877 Version).
    • PENTATONE.
    • 202.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Rest

    Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • SIGNUM.

  • Hélène de Montgeroult

    Étude no.41 in E flat major

    Performer: Clare Hammond.
    • Hélène de Montgeroult: Études.
    • BIS.
    • 108.

  • Anton Webern

    Im Sommerwind

    Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Schoenberg & Webern: Orchestral Works.
    • DECCA.
    • 1.

  • Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka

    Ruslan and Ludmila (Overture)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Georg Solti.
    • Weekend in Russia: Glinka, Mussorgsky & Borodin.
    • Decca.
    • 1.

  • Edward MacDowell

    To a wild rose (Woodland Sketches)

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • HYPERION.

  • Cécile Chaminade

    Thème varié in A major, Op 89

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • HYPERION.

  • John Jenkins

    Fantasia no. 12 in D major

    Ensemble: Fretwork.
    • VIRGIN.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Piano Quartet No 3 in C minor (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Marc‐André Hamelin. Ensemble: Leopold String Trio.
    • Brahms: Piano Quartets: Marc-Andre Hamelin, Leopold String Trio.
    • Hyperion.
    • 7.

  • William Walton

    Orb and Sceptre - coronation march

    Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: David Hill.
    • Walton.
    • UME - Global Clearing House.
    • 6.

  • Philippe Gaubert

    Deux Esquisses: Orientale

    Performer: Elizaveta Ivanova. Performer: Sanja Bizjak.

  • Théodore Dubois

    Toccata in G major (12 Pieces for organ)

    Performer: Joseph Nolan.
    • The Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom.
    • Signum Records.
    • 5.

  • Ivor Gurney

    Sleep (5 Elizabethan Songs)

    Music Arranger: Iain Farrington. Singer: Allan Clayton. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Collon.
    • Warner.

  • Claude Debussy

    Rêverie

    Performer: Noriko Ogawa.
    • Noriko Ogawa - Debussy Piano Music, Volume 5.
    • BIS.
    • 6.

  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Long Day Closes

    Composer: Henry F. Chorley. Choir: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Sirens' Song.
    • CORO.
    • 24.

  • Léo Delibes

    Les chasseresses (Sylvia)

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Bonynge.
    • Delibes: The 3 Ballets: Richard Bonynge.
    • Decca.

  • Karl Goldmark

    Violin Concerto (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Sueye Park. Orchestra: Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Conductor: Valentin Egel.
    • Goldmark: Violin Concerto, Op. 28: II. Air. Andante.
    • BIS.
    • 1.

  • Chiara Margarita Cozzolani

    Laetatus Sum (Vespers)

    Ensemble: I Gemelli. Conductor: Emiliano Gonzalez‐Toro.
    • Cozzolani: Vespro.
    • Naïve.
    • 6.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Scherzo no.2 in B flat minor Op.31

    Performer: Evgeny Kissin.
    • The Salzburg Recital.
    • DG.
    • 19.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No 9 in D Major (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Mahler Academy Orchestra. Conductor: Philipp von Steinaecker.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 9 on Period Instruments.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 8.

  • Vincent Youmans

    Tea for two

    Performer: Lise de la Salle. Music Arranger: Art Tatum.
    • When Do We Dance?.
    • Naive.

  • Ruth Gipps

    Horn Concerto (3rd mvt)

    Performer: David Pyatt. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Braithwaite.
    • British Horn Concertos.
    • LYRITA.

  • Wilhelm Stenhammar

    Sånger och visor: I skogen

    Performer: Paul Rivinius. Singer: Camilla Tilling.
    • BIS.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    The Wasps (Overture)

    Orchestra: Hallé. Conductor: Mark Elder.
    • Vaughan Williams: Orchestral works including Symphony no.3, The Wasps Overture,.
    • Hallé.
    • 7.

Broadcast

  • Friday09:30
    BBC Radio 3