Features
News, articles and features from the world of classical music
25 best British composers of all time
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?
The best German composers of all time
Germany has produced some of the greatest compositional voices in history – many of whom are considered among the best across the entire globe. Here, in alphabetical order, we present some of the very best
Jeneba Kanneh-Mason signs for Sony Classical
The talented young pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, sister of Sheku, Isata and Braimah, will record a debut featuring Chopin, Debussy and more
Best classical music quotes: 14 inspiring, original and amusing observations on music
Many inspiring, witty, even provocative things have been said about classical music. Here are some of the best classical music quotes
Best of Mozart: eight essential works
We choose the greatest pieces by Mozart, the legendary travelling composer
What's new?
When was Beethoven's funeral and how many people attended?
The story of thousands gathering in Vienna for Beethoven’s final farewell
Jakub Józef Orliński: the breakdancing countertenor and cover model who has graced the world's biggest opera stages
Star countertenor, breakdancer and model Jakub Józef Orliński enjoys a challenge – and he’s now applying his boundless commitment and energy to the role of artistic director on his new recording of Gluck’s Orfeo, as he tells Rebecca Franks
Conductor Sir Andrew Davis (1944-2024)
The conductor Sir Andrew Davis was perhaps best known for his recordings of English composers Elgar and Vaughan Williams - but there was also one very memorable Proms performance
Hardest classical music to memorise: musicians choose the pieces they struggle to commit to memory
Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor: a guide to a great chamber work and its best recordings
Jo Talbot celebrates the ‘Mozart of the 19th century’ as she searches out the finest recordings of this masterful work for piano, violin and cello
Artists
BBC Music Magazine's Rising Stars 2024: The rising stars of classical music
The rising star classical musicians at the start of their career whose work and performances we're championing
How a concert hall's whites-only policy caused soprano Marian Anderson to find an ally in Eleanor Roosevelt
When Marian Anderson took to the stage in 1939 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, she had the full support of the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who had taken up her cause after Anderson was rejected from a concert hall because of a racist policy
Sitar player Jasdeep Singh Degun on creating crossovers between Indian and Western classical music
Rebecca Franks meets RPS Award winner Jasdeep Singh Degun, who is shining a light on Indian Classical music
Composers
How did Beethoven cope with going deaf?
The great composer was able to deal with his deafness thanks to a unique hearing machine he had fitted to his piano
The greatest opera composers of all time
Here are the best opera composers of all time, from the 16th century to the modern day
Karl Jenkins on the commercial that made him a global hit, being underestimated by the music industry and why he has no plans to retire
Welsh composer Karl Jenkins speaks to Amanda Holloway about creating an emotional connection with his many millions of fans across the globe
Instruments
Where can I buy the best clarinet reeds?
Our guide to clarinet reeds: what they do, how they are made and where to get the best ones
Violin mutes: what they do, how to use them and the best violin mutes for practice and performance
We're here to answer all your questions about violin mutes and mutes for other stringed instruments, and explain the differences between the various types of violin mute
What instruments make up a jazz band?
A wide variety of instruments can make up a traditional jazz band, from pianos to saxophones. Here are the main ones...
Jazz
Six of the Best Jazz Film Cameos
Whether it’s breaking the tension of a thriller or adding sparkle to a musical, jazz musicians have a history of making scene-stealing cameos on the silver screen. Neil McKim explores six of the greatest
Six of the best jazz cameos in pop
Some of the greatest pop songs have benefited from the input of a jazz great. We discover some of the finest contributors...
Six of the best jazz hit singles
Neil McKim's guide to some of the biggest jazz chart hits
Musical terms
What is jazz music?
Destructive or redemptive, degenerate or transformative? Jazz is a phenomenon, a true world music that came of age over a hundred years ago. Here's our guide to the jazz music genre, its origins and pioneers
What is Synaesthesia?
The neurological condition Synaesthesia is seen as a blessing by many artists. Michael Beek explains more...
What is a leitmotif?
Most associated with the operas of Wagner, a leitmotif is a brief musical device signifying a character, location or idea, as Charlotte Smith explains
Recordings
Ryuichi Sakamoto: the best recordings
We rank the essential albums of Ryuichi Sakamoto, the pioneering film composer, electronic artist and solo performer
Six of the best landmark jazz recordings
Jazz has undergone many changes of style over the last century, not least with the arrival of rock music. Neil McKim picks out some pivotal concerts
Five of the best albums by jazz pianist Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck's rhythmic and tonal free-wheeling helped him become the epitome of 1950s and ’60s cool. We name his best recordings on disc
Science of Music
New research shows surge in mental health concerns among musicians and performing artists since Covid-19
The British Association for Performing Arts Medicine has revealed that its mental health consultations have quadrupled since 2019
How music therapy is treating victims of torture and war, facing the long-term consequences of trauma
Harmin Sijercic, a refugee from Bosnia, has been running creative music therapy at Freedom from Torture for over 16 years. He reflects on how music therapy has helped him on his own journey escaping war, and how he's since used music to support others to rebuild their lives
Music and AI: how AI will shape the future of music
The AI revolution is here, but how will it affect the musical world? We look into the future of music and AI – and how the two will be irrevocably linked
TV and Film music
Six of the best examples of classical music in movies
We choose six of the most unexpected and imaginative uses of classical music in movies
These movie directors are using classical music to create viral memes and memorable moments
From Brahms to Samuel Barber, the use of classical music in films can create all sorts of unlikely connections in the minds of the audience, as Tom Service explains
Maestro: how Bradley Cooper became Leonard Bernstein for the Netflix biopic
Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Jamie Bernstein discuss how Bradley Cooper embodied the late great conductor Leonard Bernstein in appearance, movement and, of course, conducting...
Works
Best of Beethoven: Top 20 Beethoven works
Michael Tanner selects and explores Beethoven's top 20 must-hear masterpieces, choosing from the very best of the great composer's extensive output
Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades (Pique Dame): the opera Tchaikovsky described as his finest achievement
Based on a novel by Alexander Pushkin, Tchaikovsky saw The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame) as his greatest achievement. Here, we tell the story of this opera and name its best recordings
The best horn concertos of all time
Horn player Ben Goldscheider describes the best horn concertos in the instrument's repertoire and why they’re such a joy to play