You don't know these 10 Mozart works - but you really should
So you think you know your Wolfgang? Misha Donat uncovers 10 works you might not have heard before...
Ondes Martenot: a guide to this early, eerie electronic musical instrument
We explain the workings of the unusual instrument, the Ondes Martenot, that takes centre stage in Messiaen's Turangalîla Symphony
Napoleon ruthlessly invaded Vienna in 1809. But he had one poignant gift for its most famous composer
In May 1809 the dying Haydn received a French military tribute, despite the war raging all around
1840: Franz Liszt becomes the world's first rock star
In June 1840 Franz Liszt gave the world's first piano 'recital'. Here we uncover how the dynamic pianist and composer gave birth to a new form of musical performance
Conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler: darling of the Nazis or secret opponent?
Wilhelm Furtwängler has long been seen as a symbol of Nazism. But, as Andrew Green explains, the conductor was a strong opponent of the regime
Stravinsky Rite of Spring: the work that shattered classical music tradition
We explore Stravinsky's groundbreaking ballet The Rite of Spring and its seminal place in music history, before picking out some very best recordings
We celebrate musical theatre lyricists, so why don't we credit great opera librettists?
And the BAFTA goes to… Daniel Blumberg for The Brutalist
The British composer took home the BAFTA for Original Score last night, in recognition of his thrillingly original music for The Brutalist…
'Miraculous' or 'evil': 10 quotes by musicians and critics about controversial conductor Herbert von Karajan
What have critics and performers said about the formidable Austrian conductor, Herbert von Karajan, over the years?
40 Years of EastEnders – Meet the composer behind one of British TV’s most familiar tunes
As the BBC’s flagship soap celebrates its 40th anniversary, we sit down for a chat with Simon May, the composer who wrote its eminently hummable theme music
Meet the most fascinating figures from classical music
Best folk singers of all time: 15 folk icons, from Lead Belly to Laura Marling
Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Lead Belly: we explore the world's best folk singers and their key recordings
'It was a humbling lesson': when just two people turned up to a concert by cellist Abel Selaocoe
Malcolm Sargent: the glamorous face of classical music, or an arrogant bully?
Sir Malcolm Sargent breathed life into the BBC Proms. Yet for all his fame and fortune, says Andrew Green, the conductor’s personality and music-making heavily divided opinion
The great composers
Explore the lives and works of classical music's finest composers
'Scant regard for hygiene led to serious complications': how a medical charlatan blinded Bach
In April 1750 Bach went under the knife of English eye surgeon John Taylor with disastrous results...
'He pursued her to no avail... a flood of music followed': the real-life muses who inspired the great, lovesick composers
Jessica Duchen looks at the figures who, through physical beauty or other compelling qualities, became muses for the great composers
Elisabetta de Gambarini: the fabulous talent, violent marriage and tragic death of a trailblazing composer
Stephen Pritchard relates the sparkling talent, entrepreneurial drive and shameful treatment of an unheralded 18th-century musical pioneer
Ligeti: musical master of otherworldly atmospheres
A uniquely modern voice
Greatest Recordings
Our recommendations of essential additions to your listening library
Winterreise: the tale of Schubert's brilliantly bleak song cycle - and four great recordings
Michael Tanner sets out on one of the bleakest and loneliest journeys in classical music, as he selects the finest recordings of Schubert's harrowing song-cycle, Winterreise
Mahler Symphony 5: a guide to this journey from darkness to triumph, and its best recordings
We name the greatest recordings of Mahler's legendary Fifth Symphony
18 weird and wonderful Christmas album covers: our pick of the best
Christmas over the years has inspired a glorious array of quirky covers from record company designers. We present our favourites…
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
Albums of the week
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Review: Inmost Heart (Samson Tsoy)
In his review, Michael Church is left spellbound by Samson Tsoy’s artistry at the keyboard in this glorious show of reinterpreted works
Review: Debussy – String Quartet in G minor etc (Nash)
The Nash Ensemble are immaculate in this new vintage recording of sparkling quartets and sonatas by Debussy, says Suzanne Rolt in her review
Review: Vivaldi – 'Arsilda'
In her review, Kate Bolton-Porciatti enjoys an excellent new recording of Vivaldi’s 1716 Arsilda, a Baroque farce with plenty of bravura
Audio equipment reviews and advice
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Listen in luxury 2025: the best high-end headphones on the market
Our audio expert Chris Haslam tests options for luxurious listening in private
Audio gift guide 2024: perfect gifts for audio lovers this Christmas, at every price point
From cute bedside radios to tantalising turntables, Chris Haslam suggests a wide range of perfect gifts for audio lovers this Christmas
How to get the most from your Spotify subscription
Our expert Chris Haslam gives valuable advice on getting the very best from your Spotify subscription as a classical music listener