Beethoven! His 21 essential masterpieces, ranked
Michael Tanner selects and explores Beethoven's top 21 must-hear masterpieces, choosing from the very best of the great composer's extensive output
Review: Debussy • Szymanowski Quartets (Belcea Quartet)
Michael Jameson is entranced by the Belcea Quartet’s brilliant pairing of French and Polish composers
These 15 US states have been stunningly evoked in music
From Alaskan glaciers to Florida plantations, Brian Wise explores how composers have depicted the American landscape
Celebrate the future of music with the Festival Academy Budapest
FAB celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2025 with honoured guests and young talent
Eurovision Classical Concerts to launch on BBC TV
Four concerts by exceptional orchestras will be broadcast on BBC Four and iPlayer - and across Europe - from February
America’s contribution to the history of music is second to none
Taking into account its comparative youth, the US has made a more significant contribution to the history of music than any other nation, writes Richard Morrison
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
We ranked the 21 greatest pianists of all time
Who was the best pianist of all time? We asked 100 leading pianists to name the performers who have brought the most magic to the keyboard
7 works to make you fall in love with the pipe organ
Organist and conductor Anna Lapwood shares the best works to introduce newcomers to the pipe organ
Review: Schubert 4 Hands (Chamayou / Andsnes)
Leif Ove Andsnes and Bertrand Chamayou play Schubert with exquisite sensitivity, says Misha Donat
Meet the most fascinating figures from classical music
Boos, hisses and rotten vegetables: opera’s worst behaved audiences
From boos to vegetables, opera stars have had to put up with all sorts being aimed in their direction over the centuries, as Alexandra Wilson explores
'How a traumatic memory lapse changed the way I play the piano' – Leif Ove Andsnes
What can musicians do to help tackle climate change?
Delia Stevens from percussion and harmonica/melodeon duo Stevens & Pound writes about her relationship with music and the climate
The great composers
Explore the lives and works of classical music's finest composers
Ospedale della Pietà: the orphanage where Vivaldi turned abandoned girls into world-beating musicians
Harriet Constable, author of The Instrumentalist, explores Venice’s Ospedale della Pietà, the girls’ orphanage where Vivaldi taught and composed
Composer Alex Ho and the Chinese diaspora in Britain
Composer Alex Ho is part of a growing community of musicians combining their British and Chinese heritage in fascinating ways, writes Richard Morgan
Meet Hildur Guðnadóttir – the star composer of Joker and Chernobyl
Cellist and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir has forged a career spanning classical, film and electronics – but she’s always been drawn to unsettling themes, as she tells Claire Jackson
Sex mad: music's 11 most bed-hopping composers, ranked
Jeremy Pound lifts the covers off those notorious notesmiths who found the thrill of playing away simply too hard to resist
Greatest Recordings
Our recommendations of essential additions to your listening library
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
Prog rock 1975: ranking the 17 greatest prog albums turning 50 this year
1975 was a landmark year for progressive rock, delivering groundbreaking albums that pushed musical boundaries and redefined the genre’s scope. Here are the 15 best
Ranked: the 21 greatest country rock albums of all time
When rock met country, magic happened — steel guitars, road songs, and restless hearts. These 21 albums defined that bittersweet crossroads
These 15 stone-cold classic albums were a nightmare to make
From Fleetwood Mac to Tears for Fears: 15 classic rock albums that cost blood, sweat and tears to put together
Albums of the week
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Review: Walton: Cello Concerto etc (Jonathan Aasgard, cello)
John Wilson’s Sinfonia of London is virtuosic and eloquent in vital orchestral works, writes Jo Talbot
Review: Les Divas d’Offenbach (Véronique Gens et al)
Amusing songs by Offenbach sparkle in these irresistible performances, writes Christopher Dingle
Review: Shades of Mourning (Tamar Sagiv)
Roger Thomas is impressed by the elegant skill and emotional conviction of this accomplished debut
Rock music
Explore rock music
15 brilliantly bizarre 1970s albums you must hear
The 1970s were a mad, wonderful time for makers of experimental rock music. From krautrock to psychedelia and way beyond, here are 15 of the decade's most brilliantly madcap albums
GRRRR!!! Rock's 29 angriest songs – ranked
From the visceral growl of the 1960s to the industrial rage of the 90s, explore the songs that turned pure fury into rock’s most explosive anthems
The worst albums from rock's 19 greatest bands
Even rock legends have off days. These are the infamous albums where iconic artists lost the plot – and proved that greatness isn't always guaranteed
Audio equipment reviews and advice
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
