Features
News, articles and features from the world of classical music
World Cup TV theme tunes: the 7 most unforgettable melodies from World Cups past
The football was (mostly) unforgettable - and so was the soundtrack. We remember seven World Cup theme tunes that defined entire tournaments
Best of Mozart: 11 essential works - and the recordings you need
From glittering operas to sublime symphonies and intimate chamber pieces, here are 11 of Mozart’s greatest works—timeless masterpieces that reveal his genius in every form
Sex, blood and blasphemy... opera’s most shocking moments
Some opera productions really do push the boundaries of good taste, reflects Ashutosh Khandekar as he relives some of the most outrageous of all
The Orchestra: A Young Person’s Guide – a bold new re-imagining of Britten's popular classic
Composer Charlotte Harding introduces her new work for the National Open Youth Orchestra – the world’s first disabled-led national youth ensemble
The 7 best pieces of music to get all 5 senses fizzing
Composer Jasmin Kent Rodgman selects works that present music as a multi-sensory experience
What's new?
Nathan Henninger: orchestral music in an age of streaming and cinema
They're making an opera about Margaret Thatcher... and promise to reveal her human side
A new opera about Margaret Thatcher
reveals the human side of a formidable
prime minister, writes Charlotte Smith
Classical music is good at sex. Here are the 15 most erotic works
Just how erotic can music be? Jessica Duchen gets hot under the collar as she explores the most passionate pieces and sensual songs
Scientists have been studying why male humpback whales sing together. And something special is going on
Over a million years, male humpback whales have developed a repertoire of songs whose purpose scientists are now keen to establish, says Tom Service
Video: Timothy Ridout performs Franck's Violin Sonata arranged for viola
Artists
Piano ‘accompanists’ rarely get the recognition they so richly deserve
Agatha Christie: crime novelist and wannabe opera singer
Did legendary crime novelist Agatha Christie once harbour ambitions to become an opera singer? Andrew Green follows the clues…
Daniel Barenboim reveals the composer who's been his lifelong fascination
Pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim talks about his deep relationship with Beethoven's music
Composers
Sophia Maria Westenholz: trailblazing 18th century pianist, singer, composer - and mother to eight children
Pianist Wu Qian tells the story of an extraordinary musician and composer who defied attitudes of the day to rise to the top of her profession
Grace Williams: the Welsh composer with steel in her soul
For long neglected outside her own nation, the Welsh composer is starting to enjoy her time in the sun again, explains Geraint Lewis
Steve Reich: the pioneering minimalist composer who brought tonality back to music
As he approaches 90, the US composer Steve Reich tells Tom Service about his pride in playing an important part in bringing tonality and pulse back to music
Instruments
Surprisingly, this is the most expensive piano in the world. Here's the story
This is the most expensive piano ever sold at auction. It's less about the piano itself than its unique place in cultural history....
Is this music's eeriest instrument?
We explain the workings of the unusual instrument, the Ondes Martenot, that takes centre stage in Messiaen's Turangalîla Symphony
Rock's most iconic bass guitar vanished in 1969 - and turned up in an attic half a century later
Million-dollar violins stolen from cafes - and more: our guide to some of the most famous stolen musical instruments in history
Jazz
Jazz pianists ranked: these are jazz's 15 greatest magicians of the piano
Who are the best jazz pianists of all time? Here, in alphabetical order, are 15 of the greatest ivory tinkers in the history of jazz
From jazz piano in cocktail bars to starring in Wicked: Jeff Goldblum's musical memories
Best jazz saxophonists of all time, ranked - and the albums you need to add to your library now
Who is the best jazz saxophonist of all time? From Johnny Hodges to John Coltrane, we've had a go at ranking the top 15 - and we've recommended an essential album from each
Musical terms
Minimalism was much more than a return to basics... it was a revolution
Meet the dangerous musical sound known as the 'devil in music'
For centuries, the tritone - a musical interval spanning three whole tones - has added tension, drama and mystery to music by everyone from Bach to Bernstein
What is a symphony? | Inside the symphony: everything you need to know about one of music's quintessential building blocks
Haydn wrote more than 100. Brahms wrote four, all amazing. Mahler put the whole world into his. All you need to know about the symphony
Recordings
Outliers: these 21 albums sound like nothing else their bands ever made
Some albums defy expectations. From Beatles to Neil Young, these outliers reveal bands daring to experiment... and sometimes bewildering their fans
Essential Christmas albums: 10 timeless recordings to get you in the Christmas spirit
What is the perfect music to get oneself into the festive spirit? We ask ten of our writers to name the albums they couldn’t imagine Yuletide without
These are the 31 greatest classical albums to start your collection
Our round-up of the best must-have performances of classical music. Update your collection with the great symphonies, choral works, operas, chamber and instrumental works
Science of Music
From sofa to studio: can you hear music the way the artist intended?
We explore what really matters when it comes to audio technology – and how it can create a truly authentic listening experience.
Is AI really all-consuming? Why musicians shouldn't be too gloomy... yet!
The rise of Artificial Intelligence may be spreading gloom over the music world but, reasons Tom Service, there is still hope for us humans yet!
Are you a 'super listener'? These 4 simple concepts will unlock the secrets of music
Our guide to the four concepts that will help you to unlock classical music's secret code and become a great listener
Seasonal
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TV and Film music
7 mind-blowing musical depictions of nature in the movies
Conductor Laurence Equilbey picks the best musical depictions of nature on the big screen
Needle drop! The 18 most ICONIC uses of rock songs in 1990s movies
The perfect song can make a great movie scene unforgettable, as these classic tracks prove
Ranked: the 12 greatest uses of classical music in the movies
What are the best ever uses of classical music masterpieces in film? From heartbreaking love stories to apocalyptic visions, we select our top 12
Works
Best of Vivaldi: seven perfect gateways into classical music's most elegant composer
We name seven of the greatest pieces by that melodious Baroque genius, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi
Haydn Symphonies: the ultimate guide
Over the course of nearly 40 years and more than 100 works, Haydn took the symphony into totally new territory. But how to go about exploring this huge and groundbreaking body of music? Let Nicholas Kenyon be your genial guide…
