BBC Music Magazine
Recent articles by BBC Music Magazine
'Wade in the Water' lyrics
Here are the lyrics to the African-American spiritual 'Wade in the water'
Ada Lovelace: how the maths genius saw the future of music
The 19th-century mathematician and musician Ada Lovelace was the first to spot computers’ creative potential. David De Roure tells her intriguing story and explores her legacy
What is the point of John Cage's 4'33"?
How composer John Cage bemused, intrigued and (in some cases) angered New York with the sound of his silent new composition, 4'33"
What are the lyrics to 'Ding Dong! Merrily on High'?
Did you know the tune to 'Ding Dong! Merrily on High' dates back all the way to the 16th century? Its lyrics, though, are somewhat younger...
What are the lyrics for 'London Bridge is falling down'?
Did you know the nursery rhyme 'London Bridge is falling down' dates back to the 17th century? Here are its famous lyrics
'Bread of Heaven' lyrics ('Guide me, O thou great Redeemer')
Written in the last half of the 18th century, the hymn 'Guide me, o thou great redeemer' is often sung on state and ceremonial occasions, including royal funerals and weddings. Here are its lyrics.
'Wayfaring Stranger' lyrics
Here are the lyrics to the gospel song 'Wayfaring Stranger'
'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star': what are the lyrics to the much-loved lullaby?
Did you know there are five verses to the lullaby 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'? No we didn't either... Here are all the lyrics in full
What are the lyrics to 'The 12 Days of Christmas' song?
Here are the English lyrics to the famous Christmas song, 'The 12 Days of Christmas'
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
'Jerusalem' lyrics: what are the words to the popular hymn?
Written in 1808, the famous hymn 'Jerusalem' became a symbol of hope during the First World War and has been sung with gusto ever since
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2024: winners announced
From Chamber to Concerto via Personality of the Year, here are all the winners of the 2024 BBC Music Magazine Awards
Disney's Fantasia: all the pieces of classical music featured in the animated film
It's not just The Sorcerer's Apprentice that makes an appearance in Fantasia. We name all the works – by the likes of Beethoven, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky – that appear in the original 1940 film
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
Best books about jazz
We share some of the best books about jazz, all reviewed by the experts at BBC Music Magazine
Best jazz songs: 9 classics you will listen to again and again
Which are the best jazz songs of all time? It's a difficult choice, says Paul McGuinness, but here's my top 10
The 20 Greatest Sopranos of all time
Who are the most thrilling, captivating and brilliant sopranos to have sung the world's stages? We asked the experts to draw up their ultimate list. Do their choices still ring true?
The 20 best operas of all time
Are these the best operas of all time? Or have we missed your favourite?
The 20 Greatest Conductors of All Time
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
Best cellists: the 20 greatest cellists of all time
From Pablo Casals to Jacqueline du Pré, we celebrate some of the greatest cellists of the past 300 years
The 50 greatest recordings of all time
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
The 20 Greatest Symphonies of all time
Which is the best-ever symphony? 151 of the world's leading conductors voted for what they thought to be the greatest symphonies ever written