Features
News, articles and features from the world of classical music
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....
Darkest nursery rhymes: the eerie truths hidden in our favourite childhood songs
From Jack and Jill to Three Blind Mice, many of our best-loved nursery rhymes have some sinister meanings behind their cheerful lyrics. Read on for our guide to the darkest nursery rhymes of all time
Ranked: the 15 greatest poems of all time
From The Tyger to The Lady of Shalott, we lose ourselves in 15 of the entrancing and evocative poems in all literature
Here are 9 of the greatest symphonies by female composers
Until recently it was widely accepted that female composers avoided the symphonic form – but this assumption could not be further from the truth. Here are some of the greatest symphonies ever written by female composers
Meet Thomas Søndergård: Danish conductor and percussionist
Thomas Søndergård talks about his early years as a percussionist before becoming a full-time conductor – including as music director of the Minnesota Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales
What's new?
The best music for Brunch - 10 perfect pieces to accompany your eggs, toast and coffee
TV and radio presenter Georgia Mann shares her favourite classical works to accompany a lovely late-morning/early-afternoon Brunch
These 10 famous pieces of music are not by who you think
So, who wrote Albinoni's beautiful Adagio? And what about Bach's famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor? The answers are not that obvious, says Roderick Swanston, as not all music was written by who we think it was
Meet Nicholas McCarthy - the world’s only professional one-handed concert pianist
Following his stunning debut at last year’s BBC Proms, one-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy tells Claire Jackson all about repertoire, technique and challenging narrow-minded attitudes
These are the 12 greatest songs about America
From Bernstein's classic to the National Anthem, here's our round-up of the best songs about America
Ranked: the 23 greatest movie scores of all time
Grab the popcorn, dim the lights and settle in for a run through our ranking of the greatest film scores of all time...
Artists
David Bowie’s surprising passion for classical music
For Starman David Bowie, classical music was one of many important influences, says Andrew Green
We asked today's top conductors to name the best conductor of all time. Here's what they said
We asked 100 of today's leading conductors to vote for the best conductor of all time. And the answer is...
Who is violinist Rakhi Singh?
British violinist and composer Rakhi Singh speaks to Amanda Holloway about the music that has shaped her life and career
Composers
Buried alive under an avalanche: music's 11 most bizarre and tragic deaths
Some of the most well-known composers met their ends in highly unusual ways...
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
Instruments
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
Why the world’s mightiest pipe organ resides in a Philadelphia department store
In 1911 John Wanamaker decided what his famous department store needed was a pipe organ - and not just any pipe organ, he wanted the biggest in the world
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
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
Musical keys: what they are, and what each one means in music
Composers use musical keys to ‘flavour’ their music in a particular way. But how do keys work their peculiar magic? And what particular mood does each key evoke?
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
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
Science of Music
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
Music to help us through difficult times
Multiple studies show that music can do wonders for our mental health. So which pieces do we turn to when times are tough?
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?
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TV and Film music
Bluey: the cartoon sensation selling classical music to millions
For a truly inspiring example of how to introduce classical music to youngsters, look no further than Australian children’s television, as Tom Service explains
Screen actors playing musicians: the best and worst examples
Actors ‘playing’ instruments on screen can be the stuff of nightmares. But, asks Michael Beek, to what lengths have they gone to make it look convincing?
The 12 best uses of classical music in film
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
These are the 15 greatest works by Chopin, iconic Romantic composer
From the Minute Waltz to the Funeral March, we choose some of the very finest pieces by the great Polish composer and pianist
These 11 musical masterpieces were hated by their first audiences
Eleven classical masterpieces that were first unleashed upon an angry, unimpressed or simply confused world
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
