Main content

Your perfect classical playlist

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 a masterpiece.

To listen on most smart speakers, say "Ask 91福利社 Sounds to play Essential Classics鈥�.

23 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Last Monday 09:30
91福利社 Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Colours of Autumn: Live from Calke Abbey

Next

Great classical music for your morning

See all episodes from Essential Classics

Music Played

  • C茅sar Franck

    Violin Sonata (4th mvt)

    Performer: Joshua Bell. Performer: Jeremy Denk.
    • French Impressions: Joshua Bell/Jeremy Denk.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 8.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Dance of the Five Couples (Romeo and Juliet)

    Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet: Berliner Philharmoniker, Abbado.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Rinaldo (Overture)

    Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Ren茅 Jacobs.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

  • Clara Schumann

    Liebst du um Sch枚nheit

    Singer: Magdalena Ko啪en谩. Performer: Gerold Huber.
    • Challenge Classics.

  • Camille Saint-Sa毛ns

    Havanaise Op.83

    Performer: Renaud Capu莽on. Orchestra: The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. Conductor: Daniel Harding.
    • Virgin.

  • Percy Grainger

    Walking Tune

    Orchestra: 91福利社 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • CHANDOS.

  • Frederick Delius

    On Craig Dhu (An Impression of Nature)

    Choir: The Carice Singers. Conductor: George Parris.
    • NAXOS.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Cello Sonata, Op 19 (4th mvt)

    Performer: Alisa Weilerstein. Performer: Inon Barnatan.
    • Rachmaninov & Chopin Cello Sonatas.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 4.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Menuet antique

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Franz Liszt

    Sposalizio (Ann茅es de p猫lerinage, deuxi猫me ann茅e)

    Performer: Lukas Sternath.

  • Manuel de Falla

    Elegi虂a de la guitarra (91福利社najes)

    Conductor: Domingo Hindoyan. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Manuel de Falla.
    • Onyx Classics.
    • 12.

  • 脡lisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre

    Violin Sonata No 2 in D major (4th mvt)

    Performer: Lina Tur Bonet. Performer: Patxi Montero. Performer: Kenneth Weiss.
    • Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre: Sonates pour le violon et basse continue.
    • Verso.
    • 11.

  • Edward Elgar

    Cockaigne (In London Town)

    Orchestra: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.
    • BIS.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Quintet for piano and winds in E flat (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Jean鈥怑fflam Bavouzet. Performer: Rachael Clegg. Performer: Fiona Cross. Performer: Mr Hudson. Performer: Naomi Atherton.
    • Mozart: Piano Concertos, Vol. 3.
    • Chandos.
    • 108.

  • Jean鈥怋aptiste Lully

    Marche pour la c茅r茅monie des Turcs (Le bourgeois gentilhomme)

    Ensemble: Le Concert des Nations. Director: Jordi Savall.
    • ALIA VOX.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Whither must I wander (Songs of Travel)

    Singer: Roderick Williams. Performer: Iain Burnside.
    • Naxos.

  • Frederic Curzon

    Le Boulevardier - characteristic intermezzo

    Performer: Julian Leaper. Orchestra: The New London Orchestra. Conductor: Ronald Corp.
    • British Light Music Classics - 1.
    • Hyperion.
    • 6.

  • 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.

  • Amy Beach

    Symphony in E minor 'Gaelic' (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: M眉nchner Symphoniker. Conductor: Joseph Bastian.
    • Beach: Works.
    • Solo Musica.
    • 2.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    String Quartet No 9 in C, Op 59 No 3 'Razumovsky' (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Chiaroscuro Quartet.
    • Beethoven: String Quartets, Op. 59 No. 3, Op. 95 & Op. 133.
    • BIS.
    • 104.

  • York Bowen

    Valse (Suite Mignonne)

    Performer: Joop Celis.
    • Bowen: Works for Piano, Vol.4.
    • Chandos.
    • 7.

  • Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka

    Ruslan i Lyudmila (Overture)

    Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.
    • Bernard Haitink - A Portrait.
    • DECCA.
    • 79.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Octet in E flat, Op 20

    Ensemble: Quatuor 脡b猫ne. Ensemble: Belcea Quartet.
    • Enescu & Mendelssohn: Octets.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052: I. Allegro

    Performer: Martin James Bartlett. Conductor: Howard Griffiths. Orchestra: Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg.
    • Bach: Piano Concerto No. 1, BWV 1052: I. Allegro.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 1.

  • Louise Farrenc

    Symphony no.2 in D major (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Johannes Goritzki.
    • Farrenc: Symphony No. 2 - Overtures Nos. 1 & 2.
    • CPO.
    • 2.

  • Leonard Bernstein

    Wonderful Town (Overture)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Bernstein: Wonderful Town.
    • LSO Live.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Last Monday 09:30
    91福利社 Radio 3