Welcome to the May issue of BBC Music Magazine!
It's one of our very favourite times of the year: the moment we get to reveal to you the winners of our annual BBC Music Magazine Awards. In this issue, we unveil the nine incredible recordings that triumphed at our 2026 Awards – shortlisted by our distinguished panel of critics and subsequently chosen by you, our readers, from the many hundreds of inspirational classical recordings released during 2025.
Even among those nine recordings, one stands out above all the rest as our Recording of the Year. And that award went this year to choral ensemble Tenebrae with their album A Prayer for Deliverance. Structured around two central pillars – Joel Thompson’s restless and politically-charged title work and Herbert Howells’s grief-laden Requiem – the album presents a timely response to an increasingly fractured world. Yet far from a disheartening experience, the singing is powerful in its restraint and uplifting in its passion.
As well as presenting this year's winning recordings, we've got some revealing interviews with the musicians behind them. From page 26, you can read interviews with every Award winner – and to discover who has been chosen as our Personality of the Year, turn to page 34.
Elsewhere in this issue...
- Some opera productions really do push the boundaries of good taste, reflects Ashutosh Khandekar as he relives some of the most outrageous opera productions of all time.
- As a lover of music, Marie Antoinette did much to promote composers and performers at her court in Versailles, explains Claire Jackson.
- Miles Davis at 100! Roger Thomas marks 100 years since the birth of a jazz legend by looking back at the style and personality that shaped his unique career
- For musicians, relaxation can be a luxury. Five performers speak to Anne Templer about how they spend their precious days off (WARNING: contains VERY cute pics of cats)
Last but not least, as spring makes a welcome return, we bring to you this year’s best festivals from around the world in our Summer Festival Guide. From Aspen to Wrocław, there’s much to whet the appetite over the coming months. Happy reading!
On this month's cover CD
This month's cover CD features a series of luminous, deeply spiritual Renaissance choral works performed by another great British choir: The Sixteen, conducted by their founder and artistic director Harry Christophers. Click here or on the image below to see the track details for this month's cover CD.
