Colours of Autumn: Celebrating classical greats
Georgia Mann plays the best classical music for your morning, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.
Georgia Mann plays the best classical music for your morning, continuing a special week in which she celebrates the sounds and colours of autumn. Including the Playlister challenge: our regular listener-created sequence inspired by a different piece of music each day, and a new classical release is in focus for Album of the Week. Plus at midday, a special 20 minutes sequence of words and music on autumnal themes, with poetry and prose read by Anton Lesser and Josette Simon.
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 Colours of Autumn: an indulgent selection of words and music on autumnal themes, with poetry and prose read by Anton Lesser and Josette Simon.
Today's theme centres around the turning of the year, the richness of Autumn colours, and mushrooms.
Joseph Haydn : Autumn: Introduction (The Seasons)
Concentus Musicus Vienna
Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor)
Raine Geoghegan: It's Hopping Time (extract)
Read by Josette Simon
Jonathan Dove: Invocation (The Passing of the Year)
Voces8
Jonathan Dove (piano)
John Betjeman: Harrow-on-the-hill
Read by Anton Lesser
Edvard Grieg: Storm, Peer Gynt's 91福利社coming (Peer Gynt Suite No 2)
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor)
Mary Jean Chan: The Painter
Read by Josette Simon
Kurt Weill arr. Paul Bateman: September Song (Knickerbocker Glory)
Daniel Hope (violin)
Jacques Ammon (piano)
Zurich Chamber Orchestra
Elena Kats-Chernin: Green Leaf (Wild Swans)
Jane Sheldon (soprano)
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Ola Rudner (conductor)
Dante Gabriel Rosetti: Autumn Song
Read by Anton Lesser
Bela Bartok: Night Music (Out of Doors)
Can 脟akmur (piano)
Sylvia Plath: Mushrooms
Read by Josette Simon
Simon Armitage: I kicked a mushroom
Read by Josette Simon
Francis Poulenc: The Bad Mushroom (The Story of Barbar, the little elephant)
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
John Lanchbery (conductor)
Howard Goodall: Poppies (The Seasons Suite, Autumn)
Bozidar Vukotic (cello)
Marianna Szymanowska (harp)
Tippett Quartet
Laurie Lee: Field of Autumn
Read by Anton Lesser
Peter Warlock: Autumn Twilight
John Mark Ainsley (tenor)
Roger Vignoles (piano)
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Music Played
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Antonio Vivaldi
Violin Concerto in F major RV.293 'Autumn'
Performer: Fabio Biondi. Ensemble: Europa Galante.- Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Europa Galante, Fabio Biondi.
- Virgin Classics.
- 7.
-
Gabriel Faur茅
Barcarolle in G
Performer: Kathryn Stott.- Faur茅: The Complete Music for Piano.
- Hyperion.
- 2.
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Frank Bridge
Seascape (The Sea)
Orchestra: 91福利社 National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Richard Hickox.- Chandos.
-
Augusta Holm猫s
3 litte pieces: Chanson; Moonlight; Jig
Performer: Juliette Hurel. Performer: H茅l猫ne Couvert.- ALPHA.
-
脡mile Waldteufel
Les patineurs, Op. 183 "Skater's Waltz": Les Patineurs, Op. 183
Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Christopher Bell.- A Family Christmas.
- Signum Classics.
- 1201.
-
Uuno Klami
The Foggy Morning (Sea pictures)
Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Leif Segerstam.- Finlandia.
-
Ferde Grof茅
Grand Canyon Suite (Sunset)
Orchestra: Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Conductor: Hans-Dieter Baum.- Capriccio.
-
William Byrd
Browning, 'The leaves be green'
Ensemble: Fretwork.- Virgin Classics.
-
Peter Warlock
Capriol Suite
Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.- DECCA.
-
Eric Whitacre
Leonardo dreams of his flying machine
Choir: Ensemble Altera. Conductor: Christopher Lowrey.- The Four Elements.
- Pentatone.
-
Errollyn Wallen
Peace on Earth
Performer: Christopher Williams.- Still Glides the Stream.
- Naxos.
- 114.
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Uuno Klami
The Foggy Morning (Sea pictures)
Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Leif Segerstam.- Finlandia.
-
George Frideric Handel
Harp Concerto in B-Flat (1st mvt)
Performer: Frances Kelly. Conductor: Roy Goodman. Orchestra: The Brandenburg Consort.- Handel: Organ Concertos, Op. 4 & Op. 7.
- Hyperion.
- 35.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams
The Lark Ascending
Performer: Tasmin Little. Orchestra: 91福利社 Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis.- Vaughan Williams: The Symphonies: 91福利社SO/Sir Andrew Davis.
- Warner Classics.
- 6.
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Charlotte Sohy
October
Performer: H茅lo茂se Luzzati. Performer: C茅lia Oneto Bensaid.- Sohy: Compositrice de la Belle Epoque.
- La Bo卯te 脿 P茅pites.
- 11.
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Trad.
The Foggy Foggy Dew
Performer: Benjamin Britten. Music Arranger: Benjamin Britten. Singer: Peter Pears.- Peter Pears - Anniversary Tribute.
- Decca Music Group Ltd..
- 1.
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George Gershwin
A Foggy Day in London Town
Singer: Ella Fitzgerald. Orchestra: Orchestra.- STYLUS MUSIC.
-
Leo拧 Jan谩膷ek
In the Mists (1st mvt)
Performer: Rolf Hind.- Country Music: Rolf Hind.
- Factory.
- 9.
-
Malcolm Arnold
The Padstow Lifeboat
Music Arranger: Philip Lane. Orchestra: 91福利社 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.- Chandos.
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Domenico Zipoli
Elevazione
Orchestra: Consort of London. Conductor: Robert Haydon Clark.- Classical Music Compilation.
- Silent Star Music.
- 15.
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L茅on Bo毛llmann
Toccata (Gothic Suite)
Performer: Kerry Beaumont.- The Grand Organ of Coventry Cathedral.
- Priory.
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James MacMillan
A Child's Prayer
Choir: Gabrieli Consort. Conductor: Paul McCreesh.- SIGNUM.
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Fr茅d茅ric Chopin
'Raindrop' Prelude in D flat major (24 Preludes Op.28)
Performer: Ingrid Fliter.- Ingrid Fliter: Frederic Chopin - Preludes.
- LINN.
- 15.
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Joseph Haydn
Autumn: Introduction (The Seasons)
Orchestra: Concentus Musicus Vienna. Conductor: Nikolaus Harnoncourt.- Haydn: Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons).
- Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.
- 19.
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Jonathan Dove
Invocation (The Passing of the Year)
Performer: Jonathan Dove. Choir: VOCES8.- Equinox.
- VCM Records.
- 08.
-
Edvard Grieg
Storm, Peer Gynt's 91福利社coming (Peer Gynt Suite No 2)
Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic. Conductor: Esa鈥怭ekka Salonen.- SONY.
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Kurt Weill
September Song
Music Arranger: Paul Bateman. Performer: Daniel Hope. Performer: Jacques Ammon. Orchestra: Z眉rcher Kammerorchester.- Daniel Hope For Seasons.
- Deutsche Grammophon.
-
Elena Kats鈥怌hernin
Green Leaf (Wild Swans)
Singer: Jane Sheldon. Orchestra: Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Ola Rudner.- Wild Swans.
- Decca Music Group Ltd..
- 1.
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B茅la Bart贸k
Night Music (Out of Doors)
Performer: Can 脟akmur.- Beethoven, Schubert, Haydn & Others: Piano Works.
- BIS.
- 504.
-
Francis Poulenc
The Bad Mushroom (The Story of Babar, the little elephant)
Orchestra: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Lanchbery.- Naxos.
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Howard Goodall
Poppies (The Seasons Suite, Autumn)
Performer: Bo啪idar Vukoti膰. Performer: Marianna Szymanowska. Ensemble: Tippett Quartet.- Howard Goodall The Seasons.
- EMI Classics.
- 4.
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Peter Warlock
Autumn Twilight
Singer: John Mark Ainsley. Performer: Roger Vignoles.- Songs by Peter Warlock.
- Hyperion.
- 015.
-
Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Symphony No 4 in F Minor (4th mvt)
Orchestra: Orchestra of the Academy of Santa Cecilia. Conductor: Sir Antonio Pappano.- EMI.
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Tomaso Antonio Vitali
Chaconne in G Minor
Music Arranger: Esther Abrami. Music Arranger: Max Knoth.- Amour.
- Sony Classical/Sony Music.
- 17.
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Frederic Long脿s i Torres
础谤补驳贸苍
Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.- Hyperion.
-
John Williams
Superman (Main theme)
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.- Rhino.
Broadcast
- Wed 21 Oct 2026 09:3091福利社 Radio 3