Meet the most fascinating figures from classical music
Video: Timothy Ridout performs Franck's Violin Sonata arranged for viola
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…
The great composers
Explore the lives and works of classical music's finest 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
'Great'? These five composers are simply overrated
We invite five of our writers to reveal those whose feted talents leave them seriously underwhelmed
Greatest Recordings
Our recommendations of essential additions to your listening library
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
Creedence Clearwater Revival albums ranked (the top 3 were tough)
From gritty bayou riffs to fiery protest songs, we rank Creedence’s albums, celebrating swamp-rock mastery, timeless hooks, and raw American energy
Albums of the week
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Review: Handel: Messiah (Irish Baroque Orchestra et al)
This terrific recording boasts a lively chorus
and top-rate soloists, writes Nicholas Anderson
Review: Hartmann: Esther (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Karabits et al)
Hartmann’s score pulses with moral drama and unrelenting energy, says Ashutosh Khandekar
Review: Beyond Vivaldi (Evangelina Mascardi et al)
Evangelina Mascardi is an elegant advocate for her instrument, writes Kate Bolton-Porciatti
Rock music
Explore rock music
The sound of self-destruction: 15 albums that ended great careers
From blockbuster blunders to creative collapses, these 15 albums were the moment when rock legends lost their way
'Scared': 17 rock stars who wrestled with stage fright
They looked fearless under the spotlight. In reality, these rock stars battled crippling stage fright before facing an audience
The 17 weirdest career moves ever made by great bands (No. 2 backfired spectacularly)
Everyone's got to make a strange choice once in a while, right? The Beatles, Pink Floyd and the Stones are just some of the rock behemoths who took weird left turns
Audio equipment reviews and advice
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
All-in-one record players: the easy and affordable way to get into vinyl
Chris Haslam provides advice on the latest hi-fi equipment purchases
Music on the move: the best true wireless earbuds 2026
Chris Haslam introduces the best true wireless earbuds on the market right now
The '80s are back! The best portable cassette and CD players on the market today
Our Audio expert Chris Haslam gives his personal recommendation for buying a modern portable cassette or CD player
