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A feast of great music

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 Song of the Day – harnessing the magic of words, music and the human voice.

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 ѿý Sounds to play Essential Classics”

21 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • Marc‐Antoine Charpentier

    Te Deum (Prelude)

    Ensemble: Brandenburg Consort. Conductor: Roy Goodman.
    • Rondeaux Royaux: The Brandenburg Consort, Roy Goodman.
    • Hyperion.
    • 1.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Scherzo no.2 in B flat minor Op.31

    Performer: Benjamin Grosvenor.
    • Benjamin Grosvenor: Chopin, Lizst, Ravel.
    • Decca.
    • 7.
  • Edgar Bainton

    And I saw a new heaven

    Performer: Dónal McCann. Lyricist: Anon.. Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Conductor: Daniel Hyde.
    • Easter From King's (2021 Collection).
    • Kings College Cambridge.
    • 07.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    Piano Trio No.4 in E Minor, Op.90 "Dumky" (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Trio Wanderer.
    • Dvořák: Piano Trios Op. 65 & 90.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 2.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Rinaldo (Overture)

    Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
    • DECCA.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    Three little maids from school (The Mikado)

    Librettist: William Gilbert. Singer: Lesley Garrett. Singer: Jean Rigby. Singer: Susan Bullock. Orchestra: The English National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Robinson.
    • Gilbert and Sullivan: The Mikado: English National Opera.
    • That's Entertainment.
    • 8.
  • George Enescu

    éԻ

    Performer: Tine Thing Helseth. Performer: Kathryn Stott.
    • EMI.
  • Joan Trimble

    Suite for Strings

    Orchestra: Irish Chamber Orchestra. Director: Fionnuala Hunt.
    • Black Box.
  • John Williams

    Flying Theme (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.
    • MCA.
  • Amy Woodforde-Finden

    Kashmiri Song (4 Indian Love Lyrics)

    Singer: Anthony Rolfe Johnson. Performer: Graham Johnson.
    • In Praise of Woman.
    • HELIOS.
    • 017.
  • Arnold Bax

    Elegiac Trio

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.
    • HYPERION.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    Three little maids from school (The Mikado)

    Librettist: W. S. Gilbert. Singer: Lesley Garrett. Singer: Susan Bullock. Singer: Jean Rigby. Orchestra: The English National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Robinson.
    • Gilbert and Sullivan: The Mikado: English National Opera.
    • That's Entertainment.
    • 8.
  • Alexander Borodin

    Petite Suite: Vi. Finale. Scherzo-nocturne-scherzo

    Conductor: Geoffrey Simon. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra.
    • Borodin: Requiem, Polovtsian Dances and Suite from Prince Igor.
    • Signum Classics.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Schafe können sicher weiden (Cantata No 208)

    Singer: Emma Kirkby. Orchestra: Parley of Instruments. Conductor: Roy Goodman.
    • Bach: Cantatas Nos. 82, 202 "Wedding" & 208 "Hunt".
    • Hyperion.
    • 24.
  • Franz Liszt

    Concert Study no.3 in D flat major 'Un sospiro'

    Performer: Lang Lang.
    • Sony Classical: 88697891402.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 7.
  • Herbert Howells

    Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, 'Collegium Regale'

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Performer: Sir Andrew Davis. Conductor: Sir David Willcocks.
    • DECCA.
  • François-Joseph Gossec

    Tambourin (Le Triomphe de la Republique)

    Music Arranger: Charles Gerhardt. Performer: James Galway. Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Gerhardt.
    • James Galway - Celebrating 70 - A collection of Personal Favourites.
    • RCA.
    • 3.
  • Leonard Bernstein

    West Side Story (America)

    Singer: Rita Moreno. Ensemble: West Side Story Orchestra. Singer: Betty Wand. Singer: George Chakiris. Conductor: Johnny Green.
    • West Side Story: Original Soundtrack Recording (1961).
    • Sony.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No. 55 in E-Flat Major, Hob. I:55, "School master": II. Adagio

    Orchestra: Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. Conductor: Dennis Russell Davies.
    • Haydn: Symphonies / Sinfonien Nos. 54, 55 "School master", 56.
    • Sony Classical/Sony Music.
    • 6.
  • Malcolm Arnold

    The Belles of St Trinian's (Prelude)

    Music Arranger: Christopher Palmer. Orchestra: ѿý Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • CHANDOS.
  • Karl Jenkins

    Palladio (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Karl Jenkins.
    • Karl Jenkins: Quirk, Sarikiz & Over the Stone.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 114.
  • Robert Ramsey

    How are the mighty fall'n

    Choir: Stile Antico.
    • Tune thy Musicke to thy Hart.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 4.
  • Gustav Holst

    Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age (The Planets, Op 32)

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski.
    • London Philharmonic Orchestra - Holst The Planets - Vladimir Jurowski Conductor.
    • LPO.
  • Liza Lehmann

    If no one ever marries me (The Daisy Chain)

    Performer: Steuart Bedford. Singer: Janice Watson.
    • Collins.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Horn Quintet in E flat major, K 407 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Timothy Brown. Performer: Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
    • Mozart: Clarinet Quintet/Horn Quintet/Oboe Quartet: Academy of St. Martin in the.
    • Philips.
    • 5.
  • Vivien Ellis

    Coronation Scot (Paul Temple)

    Orchestra: The New London Orchestra. Conductor: Ronald Corp.
    • British Light Music Classics: The New London Orchestra/Ronald Corp.
    • Hyperion.
  • Alexander Glazunov

    Piano Concerto No 2 in B major, Op 100

    Performer: Stephen Coombs. Orchestra: ѿý Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
    • Hyperion.
  • Théodore Dubois

    Toccata in G major (12 Pieces)

    Performer: Francis Jackson.
    • Pipes of Splendour.
    • Chandos.
    • 006.
  • Dieterich Buxtehude

    Membra Jesu nostri; No. 1, Ad pedes

    Conductor: Magnus Kjellson. Ensemble: Göteborg Baroque.
    • Buxtehude: Membra Jesu nostri, BuxWV 75.
    • Proprius.
    • 101.
  • Aram Khachaturian

    Gayane: Lezghinka

    Orchestra: Boston Pops Orchestra. Conductor: Arthur Fiedler.
    • RCA LIVING STEREO.
  • Vasily Pavlovich Solovyov-Sedoy

    Moscow Nights

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Stephen Hough's Dream Album.
    • Hyperion.
    • 6.
  • Moses Hogan

    Elijah Rock

    Choir: Plymouth Music Series Ensemble Singers. Conductor: Philip Brunelle.
    • COLLINS CLASSICS.
  • César Franck

    Panis angelicus

    Orchestrator: Leopold Stokowski. Orchestra: ѿý Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Matthias Bamert.
    • Stokowski Encores.
    • Chandos.
    • 08.

Broadcast

  • Last Monday 09:30

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