Artists
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
Clara Butt: her generation's greatest contralto, or the butt of a cruel joke?
Clara Butt may be remembered chiefly as a cardboard cut-out figure of fun – notorious enough for Disney to lampoon as Clara Cluck. But, says Andrew Green, it's time to readdress her reputation
Who is Alexandre Kantorow? The exciting young pianist described as 'Liszt reincarnated'
The exciting young French pianist shares with Jessica Duchen the enormous thrills of performing at the 2024 Paris Olympics and winning the 2019 Tchaikovsky Competition
Dennis Brain: the British virtuoso who brought the sound of the French horn to millions
Dennis Brain inspired a generation of musicians and music fans alike. Andrew Green traces the meteoric rise and tragic end of the French horn virtuoso
Wendy Carlos: trans pioneer and creator of Stanley Kubrick's creepiest soundtracks
In 1968, Wendy Carlos’s Switched-On Bach became an instant best-seller. As the experimental composer turns 85, Nick Shave looks back at her life and career
Michael Tilson Thomas: why a terminal cancer diagnosis won't stop me from conducting
As conductor Michael Tilson Thomas marks his 80th birthday, he speaks to Michael White about continuing to make wonderful music while living with cancer
Best poets: 11 iconic figures who conjured magical worlds in verse
From Dante via Shakespeare to Maya Angelou, here are 11 poets who have created the most evocative worlds in verse
Lin-Manuel Miranda: 'Anyone who tells you Sondheim isn’t an influence on them is lying'
As the legendary Hamilton creator makes his directorial debut in the film adaptation of Jonathan Larson's musical tick, tick... BOOM!, he tells us all about the music that has shaped his life and work
Myra Hess: how the pianist became a wartime hero during the Blitz
Acclaimed British concert pianist Dame Myra Hess brought music to the masses throughout the Second World War with her morale-raising recitals at London’s National Gallery. We look back on her colourful life