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Classic Radio

‘Relax’ is Classic fM’s motto. A station completely devoted to classical music, it brings you all the favourites from Beethoven to Weber. Presenters include Myleene Klass, Tony Robinson and Lesley Garrett.

In the late 80’s, managers at a group of commercial UK radio stations called GWR decided to test out an idea for a national FM network dedicated to classical music. They trialed their plans on AM frequencies in Wiltshire and Bristol, and were pleased to see that the concept was popular. At the same time, another musical impresario called Brian Brolly was drawing up similar plans of his own. The GWR Group eventually merged with Brolly and secured backing from Time Warner to make their proposal a reality.

Private and business investment provided the rest of the money needed to set up the station, and work began on the style and format. Bosses decided not to follow BBC Radio 3, instead copying the model of New York's WNYC with its populist mixture of talk, light classical music and up-and-coming artists.

While the broadcasting of the station was undergoing tests between July and September of 1992, birdsong was aired on a loop. This took on cult status in the media at the time. One of the advantages of using something other than music for the test was that listeners and critics were kept in suspense as to exactly what sort of material the new station would be broadcasting. All was revealed at 6am on 7th September 1992 when Classic fM was finally launched.

Today the station is based at the Leicester Square premises of GCap Media who merged with GWR.

Classic fM’s business has always been to play popular classics. In this way it is different from BBC Radio 3 which tends to broadcast less well-known works. Although Classic fM has faced criticism through the years for its populist approach, it is also responsible for bringing classical music to a wider audience.

One of Classic fM’s most popular features the annual Hall of Fame in which listeners vote for their favourite piece of music from a shortlist of 300. The winner for several years was Bruch's First Violin Concerto, followed by Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto and Mozart's Clarinet Concerto. 2007’s top spot was taken by Ralph Vaughan Williams’ ‘Lark Ascending’.

Current presenters include Nick Bailey, Simon Bates, Nicola Bonn, John Brunning, Katie Derham, Lisa Duncombe, soprano Lesley Garrett, Mark Griffiths, Henry Kelly, Myleene Klass and David Mellor. Past hosts include Stephen Fry, Paul Gambaccini and Mike Read.