Features
News, articles and features from the world of classical music
Ranked: the 15 best movie musicals of all time
Ever since sound and film were first united in The Jazz Singer (1927), the musical has been a staple of cinema history and popular culture, but what are the best film musicals of all time?
These 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
Ranked: the 15 greatest prog rock albums of all time
Did King Crimson hit the prog heights for you? Or were Yes or Genesis at the top of the prog tree? We rank the 15 greatest prog albums of all time
The 15 greatest openings in classical music... How many do you know?
What are the most memorable openings in classical music? Jeremy Pound and Steve Wright explore 15 of the best known, some of which have entirely outshone the works that follow
Death at the keyboard: a pianist's final, fatal performance at Carnegie Hall
What's new?
We asked you for the pieces that got you hooked on classical music. Here's what you told us
Back in 2014, we asked BBC Music Magazine readers to tell us about the pieces that first drew them into the wonderful world of classical music. Here are some of the many responses we received...
'Unperformable': the much-loved masterpiece that almost never got off the ground
What happens when a composer writes a work that is simply too difficult for its intended performers? Jeremy Pound takes a look at ten such examples
British composers: ranking our 25 greatest composers
We asked 167 top international musicians to vote for the best British composers of all time. Here are the results… Do you agree - and who was voted number one?
'It's simply untrue to say that women lack the stamina to play brass instruments' – trumpeter Imogen Whitehead
Britten Sinfonia principal trumpet player Imogen Whitehead on why we should challenge anti-female stereotypes in brass playing
Debussy changed music forever. These 12 works prove it
Pianist George Lepauw guides us through the Debussy works he thinks any non-classical music fan would enjoy
Artists
‘My fingers were slipping all over the keys’: clarinettist Julian Bliss on his nightmare concert in the rain
Curtis Institute: inside the American school bringing on tomorrow's greatest musicians
As the Curtis Institute marks its centenary, Charlotte Smith visits the elite Philadelphian music school to discover the secrets of its success
Rostropovich: the virtuoso who redefined the cello forever
Rostropovich was the most influential cellist of any era, a force of nature who inspired many of the 20th century’s greatest works. His former pupil Elizabeth Wilson recalls his extraordinary talent, eventful life and magnetic personality
Composers
Baroque composers: 11 of the greatest musicians from a dazzling era of music
Just who were the Baroque’s finest exponents? Great names abound, but here are ten of the best Baroque composers who should be on anyone’s list…
Alkan: the lost prodigy who shaped Chopin and Ravel
A performer who became a hermit, Charles-Valentin Alkan wrote the most demanding piano works in history, says Malcolm Hayes
Howard Shore: the film composer behind Hannibal Lecter and Bilbo Baggins
Howard Shore reflects on his years in Middle-earth and tells Michael Beek why he has a lot to thank the LPO for...
Instruments
The contrabassoon: the orchestra’s deepest voice
Meet the contrabassoon: classical music’s deepest voice and unsung hero of the orchestral underworld
The celesta: the magical instrument that adds a touch of enchantment to music
Meet the celesta, whose delicate, filigree sound lends such magic to the world of Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker
Hardest instruments: 11 most devilishly difficult musical instruments
Hannah Nepilova dodges practice time to come up with the 11 most challenging instruments to master
Jazz
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
Best jazz pianists: 15 of the greatest piano players in the history of jazz
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 to classical: five surprising classical albums from jazz greats
Musical terms
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?
Why's that tune stuck in your head? The science behind earworms
What are earworms? Are they common and how do I get rid of them? Read on to discover more about this annoying musical phenomenon...
Rubato: a guide to the musical term meaning 'robbed time'
'Robbed time'? Eh? Stephen Johnson gets to grips with another of classical music's technical terms
Recordings
Best albums of all time: 50 magnificent classical recordings you must hear
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
Beethoven piano sonatas: six of the best cycles
We name some of the best recordings of Beethoven's sonatas, peformed by the great and the good of the piano world
The Planets: a world-by-world guide to Holst's cosmic work
We bring you the best recordings of each movement of Holst's The Planets
Science of Music
Music for studying: 15 great works that will boost your focus and banish distractions
What is the best music to aid a little learning? These are the best pieces of music for studying and keeping you on task and concentrating when the going gets tough and you're feeling easily distracted
Music can increase your workout endurance by 15 per cent. Here are six more life-changing benefits
We know that music has a positive effect on the brain, but music’s impact on the body can also be helpful, improving heart health, stress levels and pain management
These six classical music gems will rewire your brain and unlock your hidden potential
Scientific research continues to support what musicians and music lovers have long known: that classical music can reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and even rewire the brain for greater efficiency
TV and Film music
These are the 15 best movie songs of all time
Are these the 15 greatest original movie songs of all time?
These eight moments in Disney's Fantasia changed how the world heard classical music
It's not just The Sorcerer's Apprentice that makes an appearance in Fantasia. We name all the works – by the likes of Beethoven, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky – that appear in the original 1940 film
This is the best movie score of all time, say today's greatest screen composers
We asked over 60 of today's very best film and television composers to tell us which scores would be in their top five of all time, and they didn't disappoint.
Works
These are some of the saddest songs ever written
Our round-up of some of the saddest and most haunting songs in musical history
Think you don’t like classical music? These 7 works will change your mind
Violinist James Ehnes selects pieces to play for sceptics who don’t believe they’ll like classical music
Best Beethoven symphony: all nine masterpieces, ranked and rated
Ranking the nine Beethoven symphonies is a somewhat herculean and, of course, a controversial exercise. But here's what we think. What about you?