The scariest operas: how the supernatural world has inspired opera composers
Ashutosh Khandekar explores how the supernatural in opera has served to express both our deepest fears and darkest desires
What's it like to study with a living legend? Cellist János Starker was 'like a doctor with X-ray eyes'
Ildikó Szabó remembers her cello lessons with the great János Starker
Best Halloween songs: 10 of the scariest tunes from classical, jazz, folk and more
Our round-up of the best songs about Halloween that you might want to add to your festive playlists in the approach to 31 October...
Maurice Ravel: the 'most perfect of Swiss watchmakers'
We explore the life and work of Maurice Ravel, master craftsman of French music
Scariest songs: 11 terrifying tunes to enjoy this Halloween
From Janáček to Maxwell Davies, here is our roundup of ten of the most spine-chilling songs from the worlds of opera and folk song
Oscar Levant: film star, and greatest Gershwin pianist of his generation
Oscar Levant built his reputation as an actor and radio host, but this talented pianist was also a key interpreter of Gershwin’s music
Best movie composers: ranking the all-time greatest composers for the silver screen
Michael Beek counts down his the best film composers of all time, but do you agree with his choices - or have we missed your favourite?
Best music for Halloween: 7 spooky pieces to send shivers up your spine
Welsh National Opera conductor James Southall chooses some of the best spooky works of classical music to listen to this October
Ludwig: we solve the BBC drama’s Beethoven puzzle…
Ludwig is a must-watch on the small screen, but the six-part drama’s murder mysteries aren’t the only puzzle to solve. The score is littered with references to Beethoven, but what are they? We chat to one of the series’ composers to find out…
Florence Foster Jenkins: was she really the 'Diva of Din'?
In 2016 Meryl Streep brought the very dubious talents of history’s most wayward soprano to the cinema. But who, asks Nick Forton, was the real Florence Foster Jenkins?
Meet the most fascinating figures from classical music
5 musical geniuses who could sight-read any piece - even the most fiendishly difficult ones!
The violinists and pianists throughout history who have had the best memories and sight-reading techniques
Never marry a classical musician... here's 10 reasons why
Free concert tickets and a home filled with the joys of music might seem tempting now, but you could live to regret it...!
Greatest conductors of all time: 30 of the finest baton-wielders in classical music history
Who are the maestros who inspire the maestros themselves? We invited 100 of today's leading conductors to cast their vote for the greatest conductors ever
The great composers
Explore the lives and works of classical music's finest composers
15 composers who travelled to remote locations – and risked life and limb in the name of art
Fifteen great composers inspired by wanderlust – from gaping desert canyons to uninhabited icy landscapes
War of the Romantics: why Brahms accused his great rival Liszt of being 'an evil influence'
How two prominent 19th century composers were at loggerheads when it came to the philosophy of music
Mozart: child prodigy, melodic genius, Romantic forerunner... and our greatest composer?
Was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart the greatest composer who ever lived?
Verdi: the composer who battled grave personal tragedies to become a national icon
Composer Giuseppe Verdi battled family tragedies and censorship to become a leading light in the world of Italian opera
Greatest Recordings
Our recommendations of essential additions to your listening library
These are the 50 greatest recordings of all time. How many are in your collection?
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
Vivaldi Four Seasons: five of the greatest recordings of all time (and, just for fun, three wild cards)
These four revolutionary violin concertos remain Vivaldi's most-loved works. Lucy Chaudhuri rounds up the best recordings of The Four Seasons to date, and adds in three wild cards for good measure
Appalachian Spring: Aaron Copland's masterful evocation of America's wide open spaces
The 1940s ballet Appalachian Spring has become one of Copland’s most popular works. And its true American spirit has inspired many great recordings, finds Anthony Burton
Ludovico Einaudi, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Max Richter: 18 definitive ambient classical albums you should hear
The best post-classical albums and modern masterpieces to inspire and move you
Albums of the week
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Brett Dean: Rooms of Elsinore
There’s a bit of everything in this superb Hamlet-inspired selection box, says Christopher Dingle in his review
Anna Clyne: Shorthand
This evocative retrospective is an all-star survey of the Anna Clyne’s string works and features a host of memorable moments, says Jo Talbot in her review
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 (Tonhalle/Järvi)
Michael Jameson is blown away by this towering performance of Bruckner’s Ninth from Paavo Järvi’s peerless Tonhalle orchestra, captured in a glorious recording
Audio equipment reviews and advice
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Best TV speakers: revolutionise your TV sound with these state-of-the-art speaker systems
Whether you're after a wireless option, a soundbar or something more design-led, we've brought together some of the best TV speakers for all audiophiles available to buy now
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
The best bluetooth speakers to take on your travels
Which are the best speakers to take on holiday with you? Here's our handy guide to battery life, connectivity, waterproof ratings and a whole lot more...