‘My fingers were slipping all over the keys’: clarinettist Julian Bliss on his nightmare concert in the rain
The hair was long - and so were the songs. In praise of prog rock, classical music's unruly cousin
What happens when classical music-style levels of ambition, invention and sheer length are grafted onto pop music? The answer, as Meurig Bowen explains, is Prog Rock
Best of Satie: eight perfect introductions to his eccentric, captivating sound world
A selection of the finest – and oddest – pieces by the French composer and eccentric Erik Satie
This cat gets emotional listening to music
Snoop, a beautiful black and white cat, gets surprisingly emotional over classical music—he even looks like he’s shedding a tear while listening to Chopin. Clearly, he's feeling all the feels.
Korngold Symphony in F sharp: a searing account of the misery of life in Nazi Germany
Despite Korngold’s denials, there is much to suggest that his Symphony in F sharp is a grim depiction of the dark days of Nazism, argues Jessica Duchen
George Gershwin wrote some of the 20th century's most joyous music. Here are seven of his best works
What are the greatest pieces of music written by the jazz-influenced classical composer, George Gershwin?
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…
From the streets to the stage… Brad Kella on how winning Channel 4’s ‘The Piano’ changed his life
If you’re a fan of Channel 4’s keyboard contest The Piano, you’ll be very familiar with Brad Kella, the young composer-pianist who won the last series. Here he reflects on a crazy year, owning a Steinway and how music has changed him for the better…
Mozart was knighted as a teenager. But the reason is stranger than you think
In 1770 Pope Clement XIV awarded the 14-year-old Mozart a papal knighthood and the prestigious Order of the Golden Spur. Here's how it happened...
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
Meet the most fascinating figures from classical music
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
Titanic musicians: the tragic and noble tale of the performers who went down playing
On the night of 15 April 1912, one of the most heroic performances in history was witnessed, as the musicians of the Titanic carried on playing despite their inevitable fate. Andrew Green tells their story
Nazi exile, mental illness: the complex legacy of one of the 20th century's greatest conductors
For many, conductor Otto Klemperer will be remembered as the steady and reliable champion of classic repertoire, but in his youth the German was a dashing advocate of the new, writes Andrew Green
The great composers
Explore the lives and works of classical music's finest composers
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...
Gold medals and sex kittens: 5 times the music of Ravel has been used in popular culture
The composer who helped me through a mental health crisis
Almost uniquely, Bruckner seems to inspire either deep devotion or total dislike. Stephen Johnson marks the Austrian’s bicentenary by explaining why, for him, the symphonies have become firm friends
Greatest Recordings
Our recommendations of essential additions to your listening library
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
Death and the Maiden: Schubert's harrowing string quartet and most emotive recordings
Erik Levi picks out the finest recordings of Schubert's Death and the Maiden, a piece in which the Austrian composer plumbs the very depths of despair
Albums of the week
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Review: Ravel Fragments (Bertrand Chamayou)
In his review, Nicholas Kenyon enjoys Bertrand Chamayou’s vision and gripping performance in a clever tribute to Ravel
Review: Dvořák & Price – Piano Quintets (Takács Quartet)
Takács Quartet and Marc-André Hamelin are on sublime form in contrasting piano quintets by Dvořák and Florence Price, says Jan Smaczny in his review
Review: Attende domine (The Bevan Family Consort)
In her review, Alexandra Wilson finds much to enjoy in this glorious family album of beautiful music for Lent and Passiontide from the brilliant Bevans
Audio equipment reviews and advice
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
These are the best Bluetooth speakers on the market 2025
Would you spend a million pounds on a hi-fi? What if it sounds like nothing you've ever experienced?
Our audio expert Chris Haslam spends a few enjoyable hours in the company of some of the most eye-wateringly capable (and expensive) hi-fi technology out there
Listening room inspiration: how you can create the ultimate music sanctuary at home
Easy chair, hi-fi, vinyl displays: here's how to furnish your own listening paradise