Artists
Meet Felix Klieser, the inspirational musician born with no arms
Horn player Felix Klieser was born without arms. His journey to the top of his profession is nothing short of inspirational
Joseph Emidy: Britain's first black composer, who travelled from kidnap and slavery to violin superstardom
Gayle Wood tells the remarkable story of the African-born violinist and composer Joseph Emidy, whose musical talent led to kidnap, life at sea and, finally, acclaim
Ranked: the 15 greatest jazz singers of all time
Who are the greatest jazz singers of all time? We name some of the best here (in alphabetical order)
These 9 films of classical music icons as children are truly inspiring
Discover the remarkable origins of some of classical music's greatest artists through these fascinating video clips of their childhood performances
These are the 21 most awesome cellists of all time
From Pablo Casals to Jacqueline du Pré, we celebrate some of the greatest cellists of the past 300 years
Florence Foster Jenkins: how the 'world's worst singer' sold out the Carnegie Hall
In 2016 Meryl Streep brought the very dubious talents of history’s most wayward soprano to the cinema. But who, asks Nick Forton, was the real Florence Foster Jenkins?
Thomas Beecham: master of the waspish one-liner. But an often visionary conductor, too
He might be best remembered now for his frequently withering wit and the head start his family background gave him. But Thomas Beecham was also a conductor of rare insight and musicality
Emil Gilels: a guide to the famous Soviet pianist and his best recordings
Maria Razumovskaya digs through the archives to cast fresh light on the extraordinary life of the great Soviet pianist Emil Gilels
The singer who spat at her deadly rival: lurid tales from the 1920s' great opera divas
The Roaring Twenties saw the rise of sports, jazz and film stars, so how did opera’s leading singers stay in the limelight? By trying to beat these new celebrities at their own game, writes Alexandra Wilson
Masaaki Suzuki: one man's lifelong mission to bring Bach to Japan
As Bach Collegium Japan celebrates its 35th anniversary, its legendary music director speaks to Amanda Holloway about a lifetime devoted to the great Baroque composer
'She was so many different people': the brilliance and tragedy of Jacqueline du Pré
Jacqueline du Pré was a brilliant but complex genius whose shyness and vulnerability, particularly in the light of her illness, often left her misunderstood, says Helen Wallace
We asked 100 maestros to name the greatest conductor of all time. And the results are in
We asked 100 of today's leading conductors to vote for the best conductor of all time. And the answer is...
'She was an ambassador for tough love and we were all terrified': studying with flautist Doriot Anthony Dwyer
Composer and flautist Valerie Coleman reflects on the impact the legendary Doriot Anthony Dwyer had on her fledgling career
Opera's World Cup Final? Remembering 1989's epic Battle of the Baritones
Epic and thrilling, the final of the 1989 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition became known as the 'Battle of the Baritones'
Best American singers: nine iconic voices you should hear
Our roundup of the most famous American singers of all time
'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