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Musical keys: what they are and how they are used in classical music
Composers have, over the ages, chosen keys to ‘flavour’ their music in a particular way. So which are the most characterful, and who has used them to their greatest effect? Ivan Hewett delves into his scores to find out
Gaspard de la nuit: inside Ravel’s famously haunting piano cycle
Rebecca Franks explores the twilight world of Ravel’s haunting and nightmarish cycle, Gaspard de la nuit, and finds the best recording of this virtuosic work
'We can’t continue to make classical music performance a precious museum piece'
Ahead of his immersive production of Handel's Messiah in 2022, conductor Gregory Batsleer explained to us why he wants to change the way we present classical music
Best cellists: the 21 greatest cello players of all time, from Boccherini to Capuçon via Casals and du Pré
From Pablo Casals to Jacqueline du Pré, we celebrate some of the greatest cellists of the past 300 years
You know his Cello Concerto. But here's why the Elgar Violin Concerto should be better known
Stephen Sondheim: one of our greatest composers, in any genre
Stephen Sondheim transformed musical theatre through his groundbreaking works – yet he never appreciated his true impact, writes James Inverne
11 of the best contraltos of all time
Are these the best contraltos of all time? We pay our respects to the women from the lower reaches
Violinist Vilde Frang on squaring up to epic works and coping with imposter syndrome
The Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang is always drawn to a challenge – and, as she tells Ariane Todes, making difficult choices has helped her to grow as a musician
Best piano concertos of all time: 12 incredible works for piano and orchestra
These are some of the greatest piano concertos - the finest works ever written for piano with orchestra
Hardest classical work to memorise: we asked top musicians to reveal the works that test their grey cells
From Beethoven to Glass, three performers choose the work that they've found hardest to commit to memory
Debussy for beginners: 15 great ways into the French composer's inimitable soundworld
Pianist George Lepauw guides us through the Debussy works he thinks any non-classical music fan would enjoy
Giuditta Pasta: the legendary Italian soprano who blazed a trail a century before Maria Callas
A century before Maria Callas caught the world’s attention, there was another singer wielding immense power both on and off stage, Giuditta Pasta. George Hall tells the story of the Italian soprano
The world’s greatest orchestras - and their finest moments on disc that you must hear
Our guide, continent by continent, to the world's best orchestral ensembles - and a great recording that shows each at their stunning best
The Sound of Gaming: BBC Philharmonic and Radio 3 to present free virtual concert for audience of avatars
Audiences will be able to attend the concert virtually as avatars directly from their browsers
'My uncle tormented me too much': what drove Beethoven's nephew to attempt suicide?
In 1826 Beethoven’s tormented nephew pulled the trigger on himself
Bumblebee princes, murderous genies and singing dragons: 15 forgotten operas ripe for rediscovery
Robert Thicknesse names fifteen fabulous but forgotten operas
‘What a giftless bastard!': 15 juiciest composer insults
Sparks fly and verbal venom is spat, as John Evans explores the great names who simply loved to take potshots at each other
We asked musicians for their dream and nightmare pieces to perform. The results are fascinating
Which works do orchestral players love to play? And which do they dread? We head round the sections of some of Europe’s finest ensembles to find out
Why hasn't the vinyl revival touched the classical music market?
Vinyl has made a huge comeback in popular music. Cellist Leonard Elschenbroich reveals why classical musicians should get on board
Music's most powerful Requiems: how composers have explored death and the afterlife
From wrathful Verdi to ethereal Fauré, there are many different ways to compose a Requiem, as Jeremy Pound discovers
Best poems of all time: 12 of the most evocative and entrancing poems ever written
From The Tyger to The Lady of Shallot, we pore over 12 of the best loved poems in all of literature
The ancient and unusual musical sounds at the heart of Gladiator II
Gladiator II features an epic score by British composer Harry Gregson-Williams and it features a host of fascinating instruments and an international cast of players…
The Lark Ascending: the story of Vaughan Williams's evocative masterpiece, and five great recordings
A guide to The Lark Ascending, Vaughan Williams's much-loved work for violin and orchestra
Karl Jenkins: from prog rock to the world's most performed classical composer
Welsh composer Karl Jenkins speaks to Amanda Holloway about creating an emotional connection with his many millions of fans across the globe