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The ideal mix of classical music

Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music, featuring new discoveries, some musical surprises and plenty of familiar favourites.

Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music, featuring new discoveries, some musical surprises and plenty of 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.

1200 “25 for 25: Sounds of the Century” – a series of brand new commissions celebrating and commemorating some of the biggest events of the 21st century so far.

1230 Album of the Week

To listen on most smart speakers say "Ask 91ȱ Sounds to play Essential Classics”

14 days left to listen

3 hours, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • Malcolm Arnold

    4 Cornish Dances Op.91 (No.1)

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Bryden Thomson.
    • Malcolm Arnold: Dances: Philharmonia, Thomson.
    • Chandos.
    • 13.
  • Samuel Barber

    Agnus Dei

    Choir: The Sixteen. Director: Harry Christophers.
    • COLLINS CLASSICS.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    English Suite no.2 in A minor BW. 807 (Prelude)

    Music Arranger: Colin Currie. Music Arranger: Sam Walton. Performer: Colin Currie. Performer: Sam Walton.
    • Striking a Balance.
    • EMI.
    • 11.
  • Peggy Glanville-Hicks

    Sinfonia Pacifica

    Orchestra: Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Mills.
    • ABC CLASSICS.
  • Henry Purcell

    O solitude, my sweetest choice Z.406

    Singer: Iestyn Davies. Ensemble: Fretwork.
    • If.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 015.
  • Leos Janáček

    Kreutzer Sonata for Strings: I. Adagio

    Music Arranger: Richard Tognetti. Orchestra: Australian Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Tognetti.
    • Janacek: Kreutzer Sonata for Strings / Barber: Adagio for Strings / Walton: Sona.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 1.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Keyboard Suite in F major, HWV 427

    Performer: Murray Perahia.
    • Sony Classical.
  • Alexander Borodin

    In the Steppes of Central Asia

    Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin: Neeme Jarvi.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 3.
  • Lera Auerbach

    Postscriptum

    Performer: Vashti Mimosa Hunter. Performer: Nicholas Rimmer. Singer: Katharina Konradi.
    • Russian Roots.
    • Chandos.
    • 24.
  • Henry Purcell

    O solitude, my sweetest choice Z.406

    Singer: Iestyn Davies. Ensemble: Fretwork.
    • If.
    • Signum Classics.
  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Septet in E flat major, Op 65

    Performer: David Guerrier. Performer: Renaud Capuçon. Performer: Esther Hoppe. Performer: Béatrice Muthelet. Performer: Gautier Capuçon. Performer: Janne Saksala. Performer: Frank Braley.
    • Virgin Classics.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony no.8 in G major Op.88 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.
    • Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8.
    • Naxos.
    • 8.
  • Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou

    The Garden of Gethesemanie

    • Éٳ󾱴DZ辱ܱ.
    • BudaMusique.
    • 12.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Violin Concerto in C Major, RV. 179a 'Per Anna Maria' - III. Allegro

    Performer: Théotime Langlois de Swarte. Ensemble: Les Ombres.
    • harmonia mundi.
  • George Frideric Handel

    "O sleep, why dost thou leave me?", from Semele HWV 58

    Singer: Ruth Ann Swenson. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Endless Pleasure.
    • EMI.
    • 3.
  • Scott Joplin

    Solace (A Mexican serenade) - rag for piano

    Performer: Joshua Rifkin.
    • NONESUCH.
  • Guillaume de Machaut

    Puis qu'en oubli, Rondeau 18

    Choir: Orlando Consort.
    • Machaut: Songs from Le Voir Dit (Complete Machaut Edition 1).
    • Hyperion.
    • 7.
  • Duke Ellington

    Solitude

    Lyricist: Eddie DeLange. Lyricist: Irving Mills. Singer: Billie Holiday.
    • In My Solitude: Billie Sings Ballads.
    • UME - Global Clearing House.
    • 1.
  • Ethel Smyth

    String Quartet in E minor (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Archaeus Quartet.
    • Smyth, Beach and Spain-Dunk.
    • Lorelt.
    • 002.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini (Variation 18)

    Performer: Nikolai Lugansky. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.
    • The Rachmaninov Experience.
    • Warner Classics and Jazz.
  • William Byrd

    Infelix ego for 6 voices

    Choir: Tallis Scholars. Director: Peter Phillips.
    • The Tallis Scholars Sing William Byrd.
    • Gimell.
    • 17.
  • Joseph Canteloube

    Bailero (Chants d'Auvergne)

    Singer: Kate Royal. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Kate Royal.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 103.
  • Sir Stephen Hough

    Nocturne (September 10, 2001)

    Performer: Elisabeth Brauss.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony no.96 in D major H.1.96 'Miracle' (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Haydn, 12 London Symphonies: Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre-Grenobles.
    • Naive.
    • 1.
  • Luigi Boccherini

    Cello Sonata in F Major, G. 9: I. Andantino

    Performer: Steven Isserlis. Performer: Luise Buchberger.
    • Boccherini: Cello Concertos, Sonatas & Quintets.
    • Hyperion.
    • 10.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Rondeau (Les biches)

    Orchestra: Orchestre de Paris – Philharmonie. Conductor: Semyon Bychkov.
    • Paris 1920: Orchestre de Paris/Semyon Bychkov.
    • Philips.
    • 2.
  • Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

    Erwin und Elmire (Entre acte)

    Orchestra: Staatskapelle Weimar. Conductor: Peter Gülke.
    • CAPRICCIO.
  • Igor Stravinsky

    Danse russe; Chez Petrushka (Petrushka)

    Performer: Denis Matsuev.
    • Stravinsky/Tchaikovsky: Denis Matsuev.
    • RCA.
    • 1-2.

Broadcast

  • Thu 6 Feb 2025 09:30

Our Classical Century

Our Classical Century

Radio 3 explores 100 key musical moments that shaped us, from 1918 to the present day.

Time Travellers: the podcast

Time Travellers: the podcast

Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough presents quirky tales gathered from the corners of history.