Articles
Sometimes even great composers write terrible music
Genius doesn’t guarantee you will create a winner every time, writes Richard Morrison
'Perverted': how Stalin's anger left Shostakovich fearing for his life
The British prog rocker who burned the American flag and got banned for life
In 1969, a daring rock performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall sparked outrage, ignited political fury, and ended with a lifetime ban for its flamboyant keyboardist
Cutting-edge headphones 2025: the best on the market
Wendy Carlos: the trans pioneer who created Stanley Kubrick’s creepiest soundscapes
Discover the bold, brilliant world of Wendy Carlos—electronic music pioneer, innovator, and trailblazing figure in sound and identity.
Culture war! When a 1960s critic dared to compare The Beatles to Mahler
Video exclusive: Brodsky Quartet performs Shostakovich String Quartet No. 15
Prog rock to punk rock: 11 songs that launched entire genres
From proto-punk to grunge via prog and disco, these 14 groundbreaking tracks lit the fuse on whole new genres, shaping music for generations
7 political pieces that bravely stood up to tyrants and called for freedom
Conductor Anja Bihlmaier selects works that have at their heart a burning desire for political freedom
Forget Tinder: join a Proms queue and fall in love
From an indicator of ongoing popularity to an unlikely dating service, the queue to buy tickets for the Proms is an institution we should cherish, says Tom Service
Busoni Piano Concerto: the hardest piano piece ever written?
So fiendishly difficult that for many years even the best pianists avoided it, the Italian’s five-movement masterpiece is admired by Claire Jackson
The greatest blues singers: 15 giants of the genre, ranked
Paul McGuinness explores the best blues singers of all time, who helped shape and influence the genre
Henriëtte Bosmans: the Dutch-Jewish composer who bravely confronted the Nazis in person
Amid the terrors of Nazi oppression, the Dutch-Jewish composer showed admirable fearlessness and passion, says Rebecca Franks
Poems for kids: 11 magical verses for younger readers
Poetry can be a great way for kids to discover music and literature, so we've flicked through the archives and have gathered together some of the best poetry for kids.
Music can teach us the secrets to a better life. Here’s how
It’s official: playing an instrument is good for your mind and body. But, asks Ariane Todes, what other life skills can musicians teach us?
Why heavy metal bands sound so much better with symphony orchestras
Aren’t classical orchestras and heavy metal bands worlds apart? Collaborations between the two reveal unexpected similarities, writes Joe Matera
Ten of the best farewell albums
From The Beatles’ bittersweet farewell to Nirvana’s raw swan song, these remarkable final albums prove some artists save their boldest work for last
Best Mahler symphony: ranking the nine completed symphonies from music's epic emotional storyteller
We've ranked all nine Mahler masterpieces from our least favourite to the absolute best
Separated at death: the macabre afterlife of a famous composer
The remarkable tale of the composer whose head was removed from his body after death - and reunited with it almost 150 years later
This beautiful cat has a completely brilliant response to music
Take one black cat. Add Mahler's hyper-emotional Ninth Symphony. Result: well, see for yourself...
Are musicals the new opera?
Were Rodgers & Hammerstein the Puccini of the mid-20th century? If so, where do operas end and musicals begin? James Inverne explores the classical origins of today’s musicals…
How music is helping prisoners to turn away from a life of crime
Organisations providing musical opportunities in prisons do much to preserve dignity and encourage rehabilitation, discovers Abigail Frymann Rouch
Hospitals are using music to ease pain and depression in patients. Here's how
It is widely accepted that music can boost mood and wellbeing, but it can also be used in medical settings to ease depression and pain, writes Peter Somerford