Works

'So much rage': classical music's seven angriest works
Conductor Domingo Hindoyan nominates the best musical depictions of anger and frustration

The Romantic masterpiece ‘rediscovered’ via Ouija board – then seized by the Nazis
Jessica Duchen tells the extraordinary story of how a message from beyond the grave led to a race to resurrect and perform an important 19th-century work

Where Sorrow Sings: the 15 greatest blues songs of all time, ranked
From Blind Willie Johnson to Howlin' Wolf and beyond, Paul McGuinness explores the best blues songs of all time

The 7 most gleefully ghoulish pieces about death and the afterlife
Pianist Yevgeny Sudbin chooses his favourite pieces inspired by death and spirituality

Debussy Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune: the work that tore up the orchestral rulebook
We tell the story of Debussy's sensuous work, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, which heralded a radical new chapter in orchestral writing

Ranked: opera's 15 greatest arias
From Mozart to Gershwin via Puccini and Delibes, we run through 15 of the best loved arias from 400 years of opera

Revealed: the Beethoven symphony that makes you feel good to be alive
Terry Williams explores the best recordings of a symphony that shows the perky sense of humour lurking within its curmudgeonly composer

The strange paintings that inspired a piano masterpiece
It was a series of atmospheric paintings by a much-missed friend that got Mussorgsky going on his superbly evocative Pictures at an Exhibition

Drama, power, passion: Queen's 21 most iconic songs, ranked
From operatic epics to hard rock anthems, we rank Queen’s 21 greatest songs—celebrating their bold invention, theatrical flair, and timeless musical brilliance.
The Lark Ascending: the origin story of Vaughan Williams's atmospheric masterpiece
A guide to The Lark Ascending, Vaughan Williams's much-loved work for violin and orchestra
The drunk conductor who ruined a great symphony's premiere
John Evans takes a look at the great works that, while much adored and respected today, all got off to a horribly shaky start
Classical metal: these 11 seminal heavy metal tracks have deep classical roots
Despite first appearances, there's much to connect heavy metal and classical music, writes singer/songwriter and guitarist Joe Matera
Relaxing music for cats: 10 serene pieces guaranteed to soothe your feline friend
Discover 10 soothing musical pieces scientifically proven to relax and comfort cats, perfect for creating a peaceful, stress-free environment for your feline friend
Beethoven's best kept secrets: 11 lesser known gems you should hear
Think you know Beethoven? Think again with our tour of 11 little known Beethoven gems, from Wellington's Victory to the Andante favori
Love songs: 11 tracks that capture the magic and mess of love
From aching ballads to euphoric anthems, these 11 timeless love songs reveal the full spectrum of romance and desire
Luigi Cherubini's Médée... Is this the most shockingly bloody opera of all time?
With its blood-spattered ending and challenging title role, this Greek tragedy-inspired opera is not for the faint-hearted, George Hall reveals
Buried treasure: 12 timeless masterpieces you've probably never heard
From Amy Beach to Hector Berlioz, here are 12 unjustly neglected masterpieces that are crying out to regain their place in the repertoire
Lust, greed, corruption: why Wagner's Ring Cycle will always be the greatest show on earth
Whether simply a tale of demigods, dwarves and dragons or a deeply symbolic work, Wagner’s Ring cycle has had a profound impact on both arts and politics. Terry Blain tells its story - and considers its legacy
These 11 musical works were way ahead of their time
These 11 radical masterpieces bent time, broke rules, and changed the future of music forever
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
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
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
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