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The best classical morning music

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 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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3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Boxing Day 2025 09:30
91福利社 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Joseph Haydn

    Cello Concerto No 2 in D major (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Jean鈥怗uihen Queyras. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Petra M眉llejans.
    • Haydn: Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 - Monn: Cello Concerto.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 6.

  • Trad.

    Good King Wenceslas

    Lyricist: John Mason Neale. Choir: The Sixteen. Director: Harry Christophers.
    • Coro.

  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    Slavonic Dance in F major, Op 46 No 4

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

  • Sir Stephen Hough

    Musical Jewellery Box

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Stephen Hough's New Piano Album: Encores by Schubert, Chaminade, Tchaikovsky, Ri.
    • Hyperion.
    • 10.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43: I. Allegretto

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Leonard Bernstein.
    • Sibelius: Symphonies Nos.1, 2, 5 & 7.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Claude Debussy

    La bo卯te 脿 joujoux: Valse. Danse de la poup茅e

    Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lyon. Conductor: Jun M盲rkl.
    • Debussy: Orchestral Works, Vol. 5.
    • Naxos.
    • 3.

  • John Williams

    Somewhere in my memory (Main Title from '91福利社 Alone')

    Lyricist: Leslie Bricusse. Orchestra: Boston Pops Orchestra. Choir: American Boychoir. Conductor: John Williams.
    • MASTERWORKS.

  • Ethel Smyth

    Concerto for violin, horn and orchestra (1st mvt)

    Performer: Sophie Langdon. Performer: Richard Watkins. Orchestra: 91福利社 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Odaline de la Mart铆nez.
    • Smyth: Serenade in D; Concerto.
    • Chandos.
    • 05.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    March (English Folk Song Suite)

    Music Arranger: Gordon Jacob. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: James Judd.
    • Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto.
    • Naxos.
    • 12.

  • Trad.

    Kiskar谩csony, nagykar谩csony

    Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Brass.
    • Frohe Weihnachten!.
    • Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings.
    • 5.

  • Richard Strauss

    Romanze

    Performer: Michael Collins. Orchestra: 91福利社 Symphony Orchestra.
    • Strauss: Concertante Works.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 005.

  • Helena Munktell

    Dala Suite Op.22, 3rd mvt: Danses rustiques

    Orchestra: G盲vle symfoniorkester. Conductor: Tobias Ringborg.
    • STERLING.

  • Francis Poulenc

    4 motets pour le temps de No毛l: II. Quem vidistis pastores dicite

    Ensemble: Choir of St John鈥檚 College, Cambridge. Conductor: Christopher Gray.
    • O Holy Night.
    • Signum Records.
    • 15.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor - 2nd mvt: Adagio sostentuto

    Performer: Boris Giltburg. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Carlos Miguel Prieto.
    • Naxos.

  • Dorothy Howell

    2 Pieces for Muted Strings

    Orchestra: 91福利社 Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Teresa Riveiro B枚hm.

  • Irving Berlin

    White Christmas (Arr. J. Heifetz for Violin & Piano)

    Performer: Coco Tomita. Performer: Simon Callaghan. Music Arranger: Jascha Heifetz.
    • White Christmas (Arr. J. Heifetz for Violin & Piano).
    • Orchid Classics.
    • 101.

  • John Cage

    Suite for Toy Piano

    Performer: Margaret Leng Tan.
    • ECM.

  • Francis Bebey

    The Magic Box

    Performer: John Williams.
    • The Magic Box.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 11.

  • Fred Hartley

    Jack In The Box

    Ensemble: Fred Hartley & His Music.
    • The Golden Age of Light Music: Highly Strung.
    • Guild Music.
    • 9.

  • Victor Hely-Hutchinson

    Old Mother Hubbard 'in the manner of Handel'

    Singer: Bejun Mehta. Performer: Julius Drake.
    • Bejun Mehta - Down by the Salley Gardens.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 19.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    The Young Juliet (Romeo and Juliet)

    Orchestra: National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. Conductor: Andrew Mogrelia.
    • NAXOS.

  • Eleanor Daley

    Open thou mine eyes

    Singer: Phoebe Wakefield. Singer: James Gooding. Conductor: Rupert Gough. Choir: Choir of Royal Holloway.
    • Eleanor Daley: Requiem and other choral works.
    • Signum Records.
    • 12.

  • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

    5 Fantasiest眉cke, Op. 5: No. 4, Minuet - Trio

    Ensemble: Tak谩cs Quartet.
    • Dvo艡谩k: String Quartet, Op. 106; Coleridge-Taylor: Fantasiest眉cke.
    • Hyperion.

  • Franz Liszt

    The Shepherds at the Manger (Christmas Tree)

    Performer: Roland P枚ntinen.
    • BIS.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in B minor for 4 violins and cello, RV 580

    Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Albioni/Pachelbel/Bach: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 13.

  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    The Nutcracker Suite, Op 71a

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas.
    • Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite: Philharmonia/Tilson Thomas.
    • CBS.
    • 1.

  • Anatoly Konstantinovich Lyadov

    The Musical Snuff Box, Op 32

    Performer: Olga Kern.
    • Rachmaninov - Sonata No 2, Balakirev - Islamey.
    • Harmonia Mundi USA.
    • 013.

  • Gabriel Faur茅

    Cantique de Jean Racine, Op.11

    Choir: Choir of St John鈥檚 College, Cambridge. Performer: Stephen Cleobury. Conductor: George Guest.
    • DECCA.

  • Augusta Holm猫s

    Night and Love (interlude from the symphonic ode Ludus pro Patria)

    Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lyon. Conductor: Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider.
    • Bru Zane.

  • John Rutter

    The Very Best Time of Year

    Music Arranger: Owain Park. Choir: Pembroke College Chapel Choir. Conductor: Anna Lapwood.
    • SIGNUM.

  • Robert Schumann

    Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, Op 47 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Christophe Gaugu茅. Ensemble: Trio Wanderer.
    • Robert Schumann: Complete Piano Trios, Quartet & Quintet.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 103.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Polka de W. R.

    Performer: Martin James Bartlett.
    • Rhapsody - Rachmaninoff: Polka de W. R..
    • Warner Classics.
    • 1.

  • Percy Grainger

    Molly on the Shore

    Music Arranger: Leopold Stokowski. Orchestra: 91福利社 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Chandos.

Broadcast

  • Boxing Day 2025 09:30
    91福利社 Radio 3