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Classical music for focus or relaxation

Our 30-minute soundscape of classical favourites including music by Bach, Debussy, Saint-Saens, Rebecca Clarke, Palestrina and Chopin, with a world music plucked-string surprise.

From the opening chorus of JS Bach's Cantata BWV 8, to Debussy's dreamy Arabesque No. 1 for piano, to a World Music feast of plucked strings as the West African harp-like kora meets the Chinese lute-like pipa; then comes Saint-Saens' Havanaise for violin and orchestra, followed by Rebecca Clarke's sonata for viola and piano. Next, the Hilliard Ensemble performs a religious work by Palestrina, from his Book 4 of motets, before the journey closes, perhaps appropriately, with Chopin's Nocturne No. 3 Op. 15, in the hands of virtuoso pianist Maria Joao Pires.

Producer: Juan Carlos Jaramillo

30 minutes

Last on

Mon 17 Apr 2023 19:00

Music Played

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Liebster Gott, wann werd ich sterben (Cantata No 8)

    Ensemble: Bach鈥怌ollegium Stuttgart. Conductor: Joshua Rifkin.
    • L鈥橭iseau Lyre.
  • Claude Debussy

    Arabesque No 1 in E major

    Performer: Angela Hewitt.
    • Debussy: Children's Corner, Suite Bergamasque, Pour le Piano: Angela Hewitt.
    • Hyperion.
    • 12.
  • Trad.

    Kora Meets Pipa

    Performer: Kadialy Kouyate. Performer: Gao Hong. Music Arranger: Kadialy Kouyate. Music Arranger: Gao Hong.
    • Terri Kunda.
    • ARC.
    • 101.
  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Havanaise

    Performer: Maxim Vengerov. Orchestra: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Zubin Mehta.
    • TELDEC.
  • Rebecca Clarke

    Viola Sonata in E minor (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Tabea Zimmermann. Performer: Kirill Gerstein.
    • Brahms, Clarke, Vieuxtemps.
    • Myrios Classics.
    • 2.
  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Canticum canticorum (Motets, book 4): Adiuro vos filiae Ierusalem

    Ensemble: The Hilliard Ensemble. Conductor: Paul Hillier.
    • Palestrina: Canticum Canticorum.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 201.
  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Nocturne in G minor, Op 15 No 3

    Performer: Maria Jo茫o Pires.
    • Chopin: The Nocturnes: Maria Joao Pires.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 6.

Broadcast

  • Mon 17 Apr 2023 19:00

Music to help you focus

Discover the best classical music for study, inspiration and relaxation.