Artists
'It's about fostering joy': King of the Waltz André Rieu on the music that shaped his life
He retired four times and had electroshock therapy for depression. But Vladimir Horowitz was still a god of the piano
Vladimir Horowitz was one of the greatest pianists the world had ever seen. his success, however, came at a heavy price. Nick Forton charts a glittering career blighted by depression and long periods away from the concert stage
Best pianist: 21 awesome magicians of the keyboard, ranked
Who was the best pianist of all time? We asked 100 leading pianists to name the performers who have brought the most magic to the keyboard
Can you name the USA's 'Big Five' orchestras?
Jeremy Pound explores the history of USA's Big Five orchestras - and a landmark historical moment from each
Conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler: darling of the Nazis or secret opponent?
Wilhelm Furtwängler has long been seen as a symbol of Nazism. But, as Andrew Green explains, the conductor was a strong opponent of the regime
'Miraculous' or 'evil': 10 quotes by musicians and critics about controversial conductor Herbert von Karajan
What have critics and performers said about the formidable Austrian conductor, Herbert von Karajan, over the years?
Best folk singers of all time: 15 folk icons, from Lead Belly to Laura Marling
Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Lead Belly: we explore the world's best folk singers and their key recordings
'It was a humbling lesson': when just two people turned up to a concert by cellist Abel Selaocoe
Malcolm Sargent: the glamorous face of classical music, or an arrogant bully?
Sir Malcolm Sargent breathed life into the BBC Proms. Yet for all his fame and fortune, says Andrew Green, the conductor’s personality and music-making heavily divided opinion
15 musicians who kept playing into their 90s
For some performers and composers, the notion of retiring at 90 has been simply out of the question, as Terry Blain explains
Best violinist: classical music's 21 greatest violin stars of all time
Who are the finest violinists ever to have been recorded on disc? We ask 100 of today’s leading players to name their inspirations…
The great divas were goddesses, and we forgave them everything
Once the ultimate accolade, the term ‘diva’ today has far more negative connotations. Richard Morrison traces the troubled evolution of the 'diva'
Jenny Lind: the 19th century megastar featured in The Greatest Showman
Worshipped by Mendelssohn and promoted on a sell-out US tour by PT Barnum, Jenny Lind enjoyed unrivalled popularity for a singer. George Hall traces the remarkable story of the ‘Swedish Nightingale’
Why Toscanini was beaten up by Mussolini’s henchmen
Arturo Toscanini's refusal to bow down to fascist Blackshirts In 1931 had brutal consequences
'He carried a loaded revolver in his pocket': meet the 15 types of conductor
Studying great maestros past and present, Jeremy Pound gives a spotters’ guide to character types regularly seen on the podium
‘I’d never sung opera in my life': the surprising link between classical music and beauty pageants
'I was forced to mime while the opera carried on around me': soprano Sabine Devieilhe
Patricia Routledge: from Bernstein to Bucket, a life less ordinary
Though known chiefly for her brilliant portrayal of a social climber on TV’s Keeping Up Appearances, Patricia Routledge was once also a successful mezzo, as the actress recalls with Michael White
Leonard Slatkin: my memories growing up in the Hollywood of Frank Sinatra and Doris Day
As he marks his 80th birthday, conductor Leonard Slatkin shares his lifelong connection to the music of Hollywood
William Blake: the visionary poet who lit a flame in composers from Vaughan Williams to Bob Dylan
The visionary poetry and vivid illustrations of William Blake have inspired hundred of pieces, from songs to symphonies. Kate Wakeling finds out why
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
Herbert von Karajan: godlike conductor, Nazi opportunist
If a conductor has a tainted personal history, should we still listen to their music? When that conductor is arguably the greatest of all, the dilemma becomes even more problematic...
The 45 minutes that (almost) destroyed Bob Dylan's life
As Timothée Chalamet returns to our screens as a young Bob Dylan, we take a look at two infamous - but crucial - moments in his whirlwind early career
Lemony Snicket: A Series of Unfortunate Events author on the music that's defined him
The author of A Series of Unfortunate Events shares the music that has shaped his life and career