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The fascinating history of the opera glove – which originated in the 16th century

Opera gloves: what’s the history of the fashion items that originated in the 16th century?

MADAME BUTTERFLY Poster for Puccini's opera

Giacomo Puccini: Madame Butterfly – short opera summary

Puccini

10 pieces of classical music to commemorate VE Day 80

10 pieces of classical music to commemorate VE Day 80

Best World War II film scores: Atonement, Saving Private Ryan, The Imitation Game

10 of the greatest Second World War movie soundtracks

11 greatest uses of opera in Hollywood films

11 most memorable uses of opera in films

Discover the greatest classical music

10 pieces of classical music that will 100% change your life

10 pieces of classical music that will 100% change your life

Hildegard von Bingen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Edward Elgar among the greatest composers in classical music history.

The 30 greatest classical music composers of all time

From Mozart to Elgar: the best pieces of classical music for beginners

15 timeless pieces to begin your journey into classical music

The 20 best operas of all time, according to Classic FM presenters.

The 20 greatest operas ever written

The best classical music playlists to suit your every mood

The best classical music playlists to suit your every mood

Periods & Genres

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Music Theory

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Key differences between a classical and an acoustic guitar - pictured: Ed Sheeran and Miloš Karadaglić

What are the key differences between a classical and an acoustic guitar?

Why do pianos have 88 keys?

Why does a piano have 88 keys?

Why the Severance theme music is so terrifyingly catchy

Why the Severance theme music is so terrifyingly catchy

Pachelbel’s Canon in D is one of the most famous canons

What is a canon?

What are microtones in music?

What are microtones in music?

Humour

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Squirrel falls into chorister’s folder during Good Friday service

Dive-bombing squirrel falls into chorister’s folder during Good Friday service

Videos

Brass players delight passengers with impromptu ‘The Bare Necessities’ on aeroplane

Brass players delight passengers with impromptu ‘The Bare Necessities’ on aeroplane

Videos

Steven Spielberg, Bill Clinton and Tina Fey all played in their school orchestras

11 famous figures you never knew could play a musical instrument

Guest conductor, Tim Schultheis, truly came to sleigh at this orchestral concert...

Audience member conducts ‘Sleigh Ride’, stealing the show in joyful moment

Videos

Cat piano prodigy surprises owner with tuneful solo.

Owner catches her cat playing the piano, with surprising virtuosity…

Women in Music

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Exclusive
First female musician in New York Philharmonic ‘said no’ to Oscar-winning documentary

First female musician in New York Philharmonic ‘said no’ at first to Oscar-winning film about her life

New York Phil

Doreen Carwithen is known as the world’s first full-time female film composer

Meet Doreen Carwithen, the world’s first fully-professional female film composer

Saint Cecilia Playing The Organ.

Who was St Cecilia? Meet the patron saint of music and musicians

Women in Music

Who is Toshiko Akiyoshi? Meet the Japanese pianist and composer who transformed jazz music

Who is Toshiko Akiyoshi? Meet the Japanese pianist and composer who transformed jazz music

Four women conductors lead the Met Opera in one week – in historic first

Four women conductors lead the Met Opera in one week – in historic first

New York Metropolitan Opera

Quizzes

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Can you answer these quiz questions using just the musical notes?

Can you answer these quiz questions using just music notes?

Lifestyle

Are you smarter than a musical 18-year-old? Find out below...

Can you answer these A-Level music questions? Find out if you would pass first time...

Lifestyle

Are you smarter than a 16-year-old? Find out below...

Can you answer these GCSE Music questions? Find out if you would pass first time...

Lifestyle

Who are Sideshow Bob and Bugs Bunny playing in these operatic parodies...

Can you guess the opera these cartoon characters are singing?

Lifestyle

What song did Olivia Olson sing in Love Actually? Take our quiz if you know the answer...

The Ultimate Christmas Movie Music Quiz

Lifestyle

Discover music features

Alexander Armstrong narrates a VE Day concert by the Parliament Choir and Sinfonia Smith Square in Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster

Classic FM on VE Day 80: join us for special concerts and premieres and send your requests

What’s the story behind Ravel’s ‘Boléro’, and why is it so controversial?

What’s the story behind Ravel’s ‘Boléro’, and why is it so controversial?

Ravel

Singing the Canadian national anthem before Juno Cup hockey action in Moose Jaw, Sask

What are the lyrics to the Canadian national anthem ‘O Canada’?

Ludovico Einaudi studied with modernist composer Luciano Berio

Famous composers you didn’t know studied with modernist composer Luciano Berio

Einaudi

Anthony Gabriele conducts Classic FM Live at the Movies with Viking

Classic FM Live at the Movies with Viking – photo highlights from the Royal Albert Hall

Events

What music will be played at the funeral of Pope Francis?

What music will be played at the funeral of Pope Francis?

Jonathan Ross joins Classic FM as brand new host of Saturday Night at the Movies

Who is Jonathan Ross? Meet the Classic FM movies presenter, talk show host and film critic

Portrait of Ignacy Jan Paderewski, 1891, oil on canvas, 45.7 × 58.4 cm, National Museum, Warsaw Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Who was Paderewski, the composer who became Poland’s Prime Minister and signed the Treaty of Versailles?

Paderewski

Exclusive
Choristers sing Allegri’s haunting ‘Miserere’ in empty St Paul’s cathedral

Choristers sing Allegri’s haunting ‘Miserere’ in empty St Paul’s cathedral

Allegri

Portrait Of Erik Satie and cover of score for Parade

The best (and strangest) pieces of music by Erik Satie

Historical figures you didn’t know were musicians: Albert Einstein, Jane Austen, Queen Elizabeth I

10 historical figures you didn’t know were classically trained musicians

What are the lyrics to the hymn ‘Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer’?

What are the lyrics to the hymn ‘Guide me, O thou great Redeemer’?

Anna Lapwood conducts the Leeds Lieder festival

Who is Anna Lapwood? The trailblazing organist and conductor’s age, biography and performances

Juventino Rosas and Johann Strauss

This waltz falsely attributed to Strauss is actually by indigenous Mexican composer Juventino Rosas

Felix Mendelssohn was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period.

10 of Felix Mendelssohn’s greatest works

Mendelssohn

10 beautiful pieces of classical music for Mother’s Day

10 beautiful pieces of classical music for Mother’s Day

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Discover music

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Bizet composing 'Carmen' at the piano French composer, 1838-1875

Georges Bizet: Carmen – short opera summary

9 days ago

18-year-old pianist Zak plays Beethoven and Chopin medley at Sheffield train station

18-year-old pianist stuns with original Beethoven and Chopin medley at Sheffield train station

12 days ago

This image obtained from AP video shows a tag with the text ''K.L. Dachau'' seen through the f-holes of a Dachau-built instrument dubbed the ''violin of hope'' in Magyarpolány, Hungary, Tuesday April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Nikolett Csanyi)

Secret note found hidden in Jewish prisoner’s violin at Dachau concentration camp

12 days ago

Winners of Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year Awards 2024 on stage at Classic FM Live with Dan Walker

The Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year Awards 2025 with ABRSM – nominate an inspiring teacher!

13 days ago

Events

Strange four-key piano

Quirky automatic piano has only four keys that move every time you play a note

20 days ago

12-year-old Anisa plays in The Piano

‘She’s a star’: virtuosic 12-year-old pianist stuns The Piano judges in Liverpool Street station

26 days ago

Best classical music

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The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

Best symphonies: Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonin Dvorak and Florence Price

The 15 greatest symphonies of all time

4 eras of classical music

The 4 eras of classical music: a quick guide

A young Marin Alsop, Sir Simon Rattle, and Seiji Ozawa conduct their respective orchestras.

The 25 greatest conductors of all time

Hildegard von Bingen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Edward Elgar among the greatest composers in classical music history.

The 30 greatest classical music composers of all time

Classic FM Live Playlists

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Latest on Classic FM

Sue Perkins to present Classic FM’s Race to Antarctica with HX Hurtigruten Expeditions

Sue Perkins to present Classic FM travel series ‘Race to the Galápagos Islands’ with HX

Sir Karl Jenkins and Sergei Rachmaninov take the top two spots in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2025

Karl Jenkins’ ‘The Armed Man’ voted to highest ever Classic FM Hall of Fame spot inKarl Jenkins’ ‘The Armed Man’ voted to highest ever Classic FM Hall of Fame spot in 25th anniversary year

Classic FM Hall of Fame

Pope Francis has died aged 88.

Pope Francis has died aged 88, Vatican confirms

Soprano Lesley Garrett sings Bizet’s ‘Habanera’ in dramatic shopping centre flashmob

Soprano Lesley Garrett sings Bizet’s ‘Habanera’ in dramatic shopping centre flashmob

Lesley Garrett

Flight attendant plays ‘Over the Rainbow’ on violin to passengers on US flight

United Airlines flight attendant plays ‘Over the Rainbow’ violin solo on busy flight

This extraordinary glass violin is so accurate that you can actually play it

Japanese glassblowers create the world’s first playable glass violin

Classic FM Live returns to the Royal Albert Hall for a movie music special

Classic FM Live returns to the Royal Albert Hall for a movie music special in April 2025

Events

Violin played in heartbreaking ‘Titanic’ scene to be sold for £60,000 at auction

Violin played in heartbreaking ‘Titanic’ film scene to be sold for £60,000 at auction

Orchestras call on government to reform streaming laws

Orchestral musicians unite to demand UK government reforms streaming royalties

Violinist sings soulful ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ duet with himself in epic encore

Violinist sings soulful ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ duet with himself in epic encore