CATEGORIES

He's got rhythm

Oscar Levant built his reputation as an actor and radio host, but this talented pianist was also a key interpreter of Gershwin's music

Out of the Blue

When George Gershwin brought together the worlds of jazz and classical in the premiere of his Rhapsody in Blue 100 years ago in New York, a whole new soundworld was born, as Mervyn Cooke relates

15 Christmas Music Essentials

It's time to make a few notes, please, as Jeremy Pound sets out his musical must-have list for the festive season that lies ahead

Bernard Herrmann

This complex and irascible man was plagued by frustration, but remains one of cinema's most iconic musical voices, says Michael Beek

Russell Watson

The genial British singer has enjoyed an enduring popularity since his first hit album The Voice dominated the charts in 2000.

Bergen Norway

With an acclaimed local orchestra, music is everywhere in this city and its most famous composer is never far away, finds Jeremy Pound

Richard Morrison

Today's musicians shouldn't be afraid to take on political causes

With a cherry on top

Despite its ostensibly festive sounds, Brahms's Fourth Symphony presents a vortex of despair, writes Tom Service. Perfect, then, for the Christmas season!

Bernstein celebrates festive freedom in East Berlin

\"I believe that Beethoven would have given us his blessing. Let freedom live!\"

Albert Hall celebrates its past as archive is revamped

Million-pound 'rescue operation' brings together thousands of historic artefacts

THE BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE INTERVIEW: Tasmin Little

'When I make a speech, I have a message to deliver - just as with my violin I had a message to deliver through the music'

A steady hand

The venerable French conductor Roger Désormière died 60 years ago, in October 1963. Roger Nichols recalls a musician of impeccable timing and taste

Settling the score

Charlie Chaplin's film A Woman of Paris has a complicated musical past - now a new score, orchestrated by Timothy Brock, is available for its 100th anniversary, as Femke Colborne reports

Guiding lights

In recent years, the Candlelight Concerts brand has become a phenomenon, helped in no small part by social media. Rebecca Franks finds out more

A King of King's

Boris Ord was music director at King's College, Cambridge from 1929 to 1957, but his contribution is often overlooked. It's about time we gave him the recognition he deserves, writes Andrew Green

Singing Lessons

As the Choir of King's College, Cambridge celebrates the 95th anniversary of its Nine Lessons and Carols broadcasts, Amanda Holloway meets music director Daniel Hyde

Arias of achievement

Glyndebourne Academy has been offering guidance to young singers who might not otherwise get the chance, as Tom Stewart finds out...

Rising in the East

When Zubin Mehta made his recent debut with the Symphony Orchestra of India, it marked a coming of age for an ensemble still in its teens. Owen Mortimer reports on its upcoming UK tour and ground-breaking training for young musicians

The first spin

A pioneering venture by the Gramophone and Typewriter company in 1906 produced the first recording of Handel's Messiah, Simon Heighes takes a listen to the original 25 shellac-disc set

Marking time

Johann Nepomuk Maelzel invented weird and wonderful devices, but none were more successful than the metronome

Kirill Karabits

After over a decade at the helm, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra's hugely popular chief conductor explains to Rebecca Franks what he has planned for his final season

AVOICE for the ages

As we celebrate the centenary of legendary soprano Maria Callas, Ashutosh Khandekar explains why she has remained such a powerful influence on successive generations of fans and singers

Richard Morrison

Today, the term 'diva' is a long way removed from its glowing origins

The power of redemption

Poulenc hoped his religious music might atone for personal sins, but the compassion of his works served as a lesson for the church

DECEMBER 1944: Glenn Miller goes missing over the English Channel

'In The Mood', 'Moonlight Serenade', 'Chattanooga Choo Choo'. The titles are familiar, the tunes indelible, and as the early rumblings of World War II emerged in Europe they catapulted Glenn Miller and his Orchestra to heady levels of celebrity in his native US.

Latest BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists revealed

2021 Leeds International Piano Competition winner among this year's recruits

Obsessive repetition

Ravel's Boléro may be the composer's single most popular work, but there's a lot more to it than its two beguiling melodies may suggest, says Tom Service

Alar Karis - President of Estonia

Alar Karis trained as a molecular geneticist and developmental biologist, and after a distinguished academic career became director of the Estonian National Museum. In October 2021 he was elected as the sixth president of Estonia. Travelling for work, he listens to classical music and subscribes to BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone for recommendations.

Leoš Janáček - Sinfonietta

Terry Williams enjoys a musical city tour in the company of the Czech composer as he explores the nooks and crannies of the best recordings

Joseph Haydn

The father of the symphony and the string quartet deserves to be remembered for his still underappreciated operas too, says George Hall