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Alfred Brendel, pianist: 1931-2025
The acclaimed pianist has died at the age of 94. Claire Jackson remembers a remarkable musician, writer and thinker
‘What a giftless bastard!': when composers tear into each other
Sparks fly and verbal venom is spat, as John Evans explores the great names who simply loved to take potshots at each other
The 1970s were the LP's golden era. Here's the greatest album from each '70s year
From glam to punk, prog to soul, the 1970s defined the album era—here are the decade’s standout releases, year by year.
Musicians told us their dream and nightmare works to perform. And one composer comes up A LOT
Which works do orchestral players love to play? And which do they dread? We head round the sections of some of Europe’s finest ensembles to find out
Alfred Brendel: these seven stellar recordings will stand as the pianist's great legacy
We salute the late, great pianist Alfred Brendel by picking out seven outstanding recordings from his impressive discography
Best of Tchaikovsky: 11 thrilling masterpieces by Russia's greatest composer
Romeo and Juliet, the Nutcracker, the Pathétique... Tchaikovsky's repertoire is stuffed full of melodic and emotional masterpieces. Here are 11 of the greatest
Remembering the great pianist Alfred Brendel, who has died aged 94
The renowned pianist Alfred Brendel died at the age of 94 on 17 June. Here, we publish one of his final interviews, in which he recalls performing with legendary baritone, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Vivaldi’s British Invasion: How the Red Priest conquered a country he never even saw
Vivaldi never crossed the English Channel. But rich clients and the postal service ensured his popularity far from home
Adventures at the edge of music: ranking the King Crimson albums
From that explosive, visionary debut onwards, King Crimson have constantly pushed at the boundaries of prog, jazz and hard rock. We assess their wildly inventive back catalogue
Josephine Baker: the dancer who shook the world
Josephine Baker was a legendary performer, WWII spy, and civil rights activist who used fame, courage, and compassion to fight racism and inspire global unity
German composers: the 21 greatest of all time, ranked (and where to start with each)
Germany has produced some of the greatest compositional voices in history – many of whom are considered among the best across the entire globe. Here are some of the very best - and a musical gateway into each one
'You're nothing but an arse': Erik Satie goes to jail, 1917
When a critic wrote a scathing review of his new ballet Parade, Erik Satie responded in caustic terms - and found himself standing up in court
7 fabulously fantastical pieces inspired by ancient mythology
Operatic director Thomas Guthrie selects the best examples of music inspired by ancient mythology
Synaesthesia: these eight composers saw sound in vivid colours
From Scriabin to Sibelius, here are eight composers who claimed to see music as colour
The very cheek! When Brahms fell asleep during Liszt's concert... and ignited a lifelong feud
It's Father's Day. Here are six beautiful songs to the joys of parenthood
To mark Father's Day, violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen selects six pieces of music that evoke the bond between parent and child
RIP, Brian Wilson. Here are the Beach Boys' 21 greatest songs, ranked
To mark the passing of their creative powerhouse Brian Wilson, here are the 21 greatest Beach Boys songs of all time
Feeling stressed? These 10 beautiful classical pieces are guaranteed to bring calm to your day
The BBC Music team and reviewers on the music they turn to for a sense of calm
A ghostly commission: the dark legend of Mozart’s Requiem
Mozart’s Requiem is shrouded in mystery. Unfinished, ghostwritten, commissioned in secrecy, it remains hauntingly powerful and endlessly debated
Ranked: the 15 greatest jazz-rock fusion albums of all time
From Miles Davis to Mahavishnu Orchestra, we run through the 15 greatest albums fusing jazz and rock into captivating new forms
Review: Purcell – Complete Suites and Other Music for Keyboard
In her review, Kate Bolton-Porciatti believes pianist Cristian Sandrin has set the bar with his thrilling modern take on Purcell keyboard gems
Review: Moonlight Variations (Pablo Ferrández)
Cellist Pablo Ferrández serves up an appetising menu of works, perfectly played and curated, says Jo Talbot in her review
Review: For Dieter... (Benjamin Appl)
Benjamin Appl’s heartfelt and imaginative album homage to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is cherishable, says Natasha Loges in her review
Review: Lament & Liberation (St John's, Cambridge)
In his review, Ashutosh Khandekar is impressed by new music director Christopher Gray’s ambitious, intense and no holds barred album debut with St John’s