In this issue

Cover: Errollyn Wallen

From solitude to wild inspiration, the composer tells Kate Wakeling the secrets of her award-winning success

The Big 400!

We celebrate the 400th issue of BBC Music Magazine with a flick through some of those we made earlier…

Avian anthems

Tom Stewart listens out carefully for the various ways that composers have represented birdsong in music

Music to die for
From raging Verdi to blissful Brahms, the range of Requiem settings is rich indeed, says Jeremy Pound

FESTIVAL GUIDE 2024

It's that time of year again... Spring has finally sprung, and along with the promised sunshine we welcome a brand-new season of glorious summer music.

10+ mins

The mighty Sampson

As soprano Carolyn Sampson turns 50, she tells Ashutosh Khandekar about the development of her voice through a remarkable catalogue of recordings

7 mins

Music to die for

From wrathful Verdi to ethereal Fauré, there are many different ways to compose a Requiem, as Jeremy Pound discovers

6 mins

Avian anthems

From Vivaldi to Messiaen, composers have often been inspired by birdsong. But accurately mimicking chirrups and tweets in music is far more difficult than it sounds, finds Tom Stewart

6 mins

THE BIG 400!

BBC Music Magazine has reached its 400th issue! To celebrate, we look back over eight milestone issues since the very firstin 1992

10+ mins

Northern light

From her first piano lesson, composer Errollyn Wallen has lived and breathed music; and though inspired by a range of styles, her composing is a deeply personal expression, as she tells Kate Wakeling

9 mins

Felix Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor

Jo Talbot celebrates the Mozart of the 19th century’ as she searches out the finest recordings of this masterful work for piano, violin and cello

7 mins

Antonio Salieri

Forget the hate-filled murderer of Mozart, says Alexandra Wilson; the real Salieri was an opera composer of considerable standing

8 mins

Aix-en-Provence France

Rebecca Franks breathes in the spring air in the popular southern city, where the music making sparkles and the sun always shines

3 mins

Composing is like breathing. It's just something I do, like a hobby, really...or an addiction

The world's most performed classical composer, a small, black-suited figure with a mop of white hair and mutton-chop whiskers, stands on the huge Brucknerhaus stage, almost invisible among the sea of musicians.

7 mins

A cast of thousands

From its unlikely conception in a pub, The Really Big Chorus has become a cultural phenomenon, offering amateur singers the opportunity to take part in vast performances, writes Andrew Green

8 mins

Tours de force

What secrets lurk behind the stages of the world’s great concert halls? To find out, Brian Wise takes backstage tours of five leading venues in London and New York

7 mins

A Marriner's tale

This month marks 100 years since the birth of Sir Neville Marriner, legendary founder and director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Michael White speaks to those who knew him best

8 mins

Larger than life

Before Milos Forman’s Amadeus came Peter Shaffer’s theatrical take on Mozart and Salieri, staged in 1979 at London’s National Theatre. lifts the curtain...

6 mins

MUSIC MALICE & MURDER

Everything you've heard is true,' proclaimed the posters for Miloš Forman's Amadeus - a cinematic tale of genius and envy, based on Peter Shaffer's acclaimed stage play about Mozart and Salieri's bitter rivalry. Forty years on, Charlotte Smith looks back at a very special production

10+ mins

Start spreading the music...

No city has been sounded and celebrated by composers and musicians as thrillingly as New York and, in particular, Manhattan – a place where 800 languages are spoken, and even more musical genres are currently being played, remade and born.

2 mins

NY Philharmonic seizes an unlikely Korea opportunity

When an agreed ceasefire ended the Korean War in July 1953, a full and final peace settlement between North and South Korea was envisaged. It never happened.

2 mins

Stroud England

Despite the sleepy reputation of its Gloucestershire surrounds, Stroud's Hidden Notes Festival likes to push boundaries

3 mins

Closing the gap

The number of female conductors on the world's orchestral podiums might be rising, but there is still some distance to cover

7 mins

Keep it in the family

Sibling connections can lead to meaningful musical partnerships – as long as childhood rivalries don't get in the way

7 mins

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

6 mins

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

9 mins

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

7 mins

Bernard Herrmann

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

6 mins

Russell Watson

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

3 mins

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

3 mins

Richard Morrison

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

3 mins

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!

2 mins

Bernstein celebrates festive freedom in East Berlin

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

2 mins

Albert Hall celebrates its past as archive is revamped

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

1 min

Read all stories from BBC Music Magazine

BBC Music Magazine Description:

BBC Music Magazine is a monthly classical music magazine published by Immediate Media Company. It was first published in 1992 and is the best-selling classical music magazine in the world.

The magazine covers all aspects of classical music, from news and reviews to features and interviews. It also features exclusive content from the BBC Proms and other BBC classical music events.

BBC Music Magazine is a popular read for many classical music lovers, and is known for its in-depth coverage and expert analysis. It has helped many classical music lovers discover new music and learn more about the genre.

Here are some of the things you can expect from BBC Music Magazine:

* News and reviews of classical music
* Features on classical music composers, performers, and conductors
* Interviews with classical music figures
* Exclusive content from the BBC Proms and other BBC classical music events

If you're looking for a magazine that will help you stay up-to-date on the latest classical music news and trends, then BBC Music Magazine is a good choice. Subscribe today and start exploring the world of classical music!