Melanie spanswick tubular chimes

‘I was born twice,’ said the great Russian bass Feodor Chaliapin. ‘In Kazan I opened my eyes to life, and in Tbilisi to music.’ What is it about music and the Georgians? Some members of that Caucasian

Claire Jackson’s opinions on Brahms (Hero or Hype?; August) resonated with me. I studied his First Symphony for O-Level, and his Fourth for A-Level. Then at college, my piano teacher insisted I learn

Classical music has a problem with perfection. You’d have thought the most important job of any professional musician was learning, playing and repeating the notes composers wrote down so often that t

A familiar tune is shared among the brass band, with the euphonium and tubas leading the march. The little melody grows in stature with each repetition, stirring cracking memories. When Julian Nott wr

Jacob Collier is on stage with the Britten Sinfonia, in a packed-out concert hall. We’ve already been treated to a freewheeling, virtuosic and wildly joyful programme, ranging from Bob Dylan to scat-s

However highbrow we think we are, we’ve all been guilty of it – that is, sitting in a concert or opera and waiting impatiently for ‘the famous bit’. In some instances, that well-known moment may be ju