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BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

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Essential Classics

Music: Classical

Refresh your morning with a great selection of classical music

Refresh your morning with a great selection of classical music, presented by Georgia Mann.

Essential Classics: Wednesday - Rob Cowan with Omid Djalili

Monday - Rob Cowan with Omid Djalili

27/05/2015

Wednesday - Rob Cowan with Omid Djalili

BBC Radio 3 - Essential Classics, Wednesday - Rob Cowan with Omid Djalili

With Rob Cowan. Including Beethoven's Diabelli Variations.

With Rob Cowan. Including Five Reasons to Love Dvorak's Slavonic Dances; Artist of the Week: pianist Grigory Sokolov, featured in Beethoven's 33 Variations on a Theme of Diabelli.

9am
A selection of music including '5 reasons to love... Dvorák's Slavonic Dances'. Dvorák's dances were an instant hit on their publication in 1878, propelling the Czech composer to international fame. A second set brought the total to sixteen dances. Throughout the week Rob makes the case for these miniature masterpieces, showcasing interpretations by conductors including Rafael Kubelik, Jean Martinon and Václav Talich.

9.30am
Take part in our daily musical challenge: two pieces of music are played together. Can you work out what they are?

10am 
Rob's guest is the stand-up comedian and actor Omid Djalili. Omid has a varied career across stage and screen and is well known for his popular sketch shows and sell-out international tours. He will be sharing a selection of his favourite classical music with Rob every day at 10am. 

10.30am 
Following on from Offenbach's Tales of Hoffman on Monday, Rob explores other works with literary connections. 

11am
Rob's artist of the week is Russian pianist Grigory Sokolov, whose performances display virtuosity, poetry and insight in equal measure. Sokolov is regarded as one of the greatest living pianists in Europe, but his refusal to make studio recordings has meant a relative lack of recognition in the UK and USA. This is starting to change following his recent contract, for live recordings only, with Deutsche Grammophon. Throughout the week Rob explores Sokolov's penetrating interpretations of masterpieces from Bach to Prokofiev and Stravinsky, by way of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms and Scriabin.

Beethoven
33 Variations on a Theme of Diabelli, Op 120.

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

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Wednesday - Rob Cowan with Omid Djalili

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