Features
News, articles and features from the world of classical music
Sophia Maria Westenholz: trailblazing 18th century pianist, singer, composer - and mother to eight children
Pianist Wu Qian tells the story of an extraordinary musician and composer who defied attitudes of the day to rise to the top of her profession
Needle drop! The 18 most ICONIC uses of rock songs in 1990s movies
The perfect song can make a great movie scene unforgettable, as these classic tracks prove
Piano ‘accompanists’ rarely get the recognition they so richly deserve
Grace Williams: the Welsh composer with steel in her soul
For long neglected outside her own nation, the Welsh composer is starting to enjoy her time in the sun again, explains Geraint Lewis
Five of the best musical settings of Shakespeare
In celebration of the release of his own 'Shakespeare Songs', composer-conductor Nimrod Borenstein lists his five favourite musical settings of The Bard
What's new?
Steve Reich: the pioneering minimalist composer who brought tonality back to music
As he approaches 90, the US composer Steve Reich tells Tom Service about his pride in playing an important part in bringing tonality and pulse back to music
'Great'? These five composers are simply overrated
We invite five of our writers to reveal those whose feted talents leave them seriously underwhelmed
The delusion of the Urtext: why we shouldn't worship the classical music score like a relic
Composer and guitarist Stephen Goss argues that musical scores are there to be interpreted and adapted rather than followed slavishly
Minimalism was much more than a return to basics... it was a revolution
Agatha Christie: crime novelist and wannabe opera singer
Did legendary crime novelist Agatha Christie once harbour ambitions to become an opera singer? Andrew Green follows the clues…
Artists
Daniel Barenboim reveals the composer who's been his lifelong fascination
Pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim talks about his deep relationship with Beethoven's music
Meet Thomas Søndergård: Danish conductor and percussionist
Thomas Søndergård talks about his early years as a percussionist before becoming a full-time conductor – including as music director of the Minnesota Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Meet Nicholas McCarthy - the world’s only professional one-handed concert pianist
Following his stunning debut at last year’s BBC Proms, one-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy tells Claire Jackson all about repertoire, technique and challenging narrow-minded attitudes
Composers
1907: the year Gustav Mahler lost everything... but found America
The composer Gustav Mahler suffered a series of personal and professional disasters in 1907. A move Stateside, however, resulted in a rapid upturn in his fortunes
Shostakovich: a composer's frightening double life in Stalin's Russia
Dmitri Shostakovich: the Soviet voice of the oppressed, and a composer of huge integrity
These 12 composers all left us incredible works. Yet they all died before 40
Many composers have died very young and often, we assume, at the height of their creative powers. Jeremy Pound explores the lives of 12 composers who died before reaching their 40th birthday.
Instruments
Surprisingly, this is the most expensive piano in the world. Here's the story
This is the most expensive piano ever sold at auction. It's less about the piano itself than its unique place in cultural history....
Is this music's eeriest instrument?
We explain the workings of the unusual instrument, the Ondes Martenot, that takes centre stage in Messiaen's Turangalîla Symphony
Rock's most iconic bass guitar vanished in 1969 - and turned up in an attic half a century later
Million-dollar violins stolen from cafes - and more: our guide to some of the most famous stolen musical instruments in history
Jazz
Jazz pianists ranked: these are jazz's 15 greatest magicians of the piano
Who are the best jazz pianists of all time? Here, in alphabetical order, are 15 of the greatest ivory tinkers in the history of jazz
From jazz piano in cocktail bars to starring in Wicked: Jeff Goldblum's musical memories
Best jazz saxophonists of all time, ranked - and the albums you need to add to your library now
Who is the best jazz saxophonist of all time? From Johnny Hodges to John Coltrane, we've had a go at ranking the top 15 - and we've recommended an essential album from each
Musical terms
Meet the dangerous musical sound known as the 'devil in music'
For centuries, the tritone - a musical interval spanning three whole tones - has added tension, drama and mystery to music by everyone from Bach to Bernstein
What is a symphony? | Inside the symphony: everything you need to know about one of music's quintessential building blocks
Haydn wrote more than 100. Brahms wrote four, all amazing. Mahler put the whole world into his. All you need to know about the symphony
Musical keys: what they are, and what each one means in music
Composers use musical keys to ‘flavour’ their music in a particular way. But how do keys work their peculiar magic? And what particular mood does each key evoke?
Recordings
Outliers: these 21 albums sound like nothing else their bands ever made
Some albums defy expectations. From Beatles to Neil Young, these outliers reveal bands daring to experiment... and sometimes bewildering their fans
Essential Christmas albums: 10 timeless recordings to get you in the Christmas spirit
What is the perfect music to get oneself into the festive spirit? We ask ten of our writers to name the albums they couldn’t imagine Yuletide without
Genesis: all 15 albums ranked from worst to best (the top 5 were SO tough)
We rank every Genesis studio album, from their early prog masterpieces to the stadium filling pop-rock of the 1980s
Science of Music
Is AI really all-consuming? Why musicians shouldn't be too gloomy... yet!
The rise of Artificial Intelligence may be spreading gloom over the music world but, reasons Tom Service, there is still hope for us humans yet!
Are you a 'super listener'? These 4 simple concepts will unlock the secrets of music
Our guide to the four concepts that will help you to unlock classical music's secret code and become a great listener
Music to help us through difficult times
Multiple studies show that music can do wonders for our mental health. So which pieces do we turn to when times are tough?
Seasonal
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TV and Film music
Ranked: the 12 greatest uses of classical music in the movies
What are the best ever uses of classical music masterpieces in film? From heartbreaking love stories to apocalyptic visions, we select our top 12
Ranked: the 23 greatest movie scores of all time
Grab the popcorn, dim the lights and settle in for a run through our ranking of the greatest film scores of all time...
Bluey: the cartoon sensation selling classical music to millions
For a truly inspiring example of how to introduce classical music to youngsters, look no further than Australian children’s television, as Tom Service explains
Works
We ranked the 20 greatest operas of all time
From Monteverdi to Berg via Mozart and Puccini, we count down the 20 best operas of all time. Did we miss your favourite?
Darkest nursery rhymes: the eerie truths hidden in our favourite childhood songs
From Jack and Jill to Three Blind Mice, many of our best-loved nursery rhymes have some sinister meanings behind their cheerful lyrics. Read on for our guide to the darkest nursery rhymes of all time
Ranked: the 15 greatest poems of all time
From The Tyger to The Lady of Shalott, we lose ourselves in 15 of the entrancing and evocative poems in all literature
